


forever going with the flow, but you're friction

by Shadowcrawler, unwindmyself



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Popstar, Duet, F/F, Female Friendship, Femslash, First Meetings, Former Disney Employees, Gen, Gossip, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Inappropriate Behavior, Male-Female Friendship, Party, Photo Shoots, Rumors, Slow Burn, Social Media, Spa Treatments, Touring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-04-16 06:37:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4614993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowcrawler/pseuds/Shadowcrawler, https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Former child star Kara Lynn is transitioning into a more adult persona and a new record label. This comes with all sorts of new challenges and surprises. Melinda May is one of the latter.</p><p>or, the AU where everyone is a popstar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. new to town with a made up name in the angel city, chasing fortune and fame

**Author's Note:**

> We realized one night that Karamel was the greatest ship name with untapped potential, decided to write a fluffy AU, and ended up at popstars because we wanted to explain Kara's obsession with having Melinda's face.
> 
> Also, this story will have the slowest burn in the history of slow burns. Melinda's role is more of a cameo in the first few chapters.
> 
> As usual with us, almost nobody is straight.
> 
> Finally, we're determined to have everyone adore Kara the way she deserves.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara attends her welcoming party and meets her labelmates.

Kara takes a deep breath and opens the door to the - ballroom? She’s not quite sure what it qualifies as, but it’s presumably the largest room in Victoria Hand’s house and despite the fact that this is the first time Kara has been here, she’s pretty sure that that’s saying a lot. Given the size of the house, the rooms are either many in number or giant.

This is a whole new kind of nervewracking. Disney Channel parties were always kind of like junior prom, bright music and punch and a half-assed theme like “Hawaiian vacation” or “the 1950s!” that really didn’t extend beyond attempted decorations. This is EDM and alcohol and she’s pretty sure she smelled marijuana from behind one of the doors she passed and what’s more than that, it’s in _her_ honor. Her, by herself. Not the 100th episode of her show, which is the responsibility of hundreds of people, but _her_. (Okay, so a lot of people went into putting her single together, too, but none of them are being recognized formally tonight.)

But really, how scary can it be?

“Kara!” someone calls. It’s Coulson; he comes up to her, smiling warmly as usual and dressed in a suit that would definitely have been too formal for the Disney parties and might be too formal for this. “Glad you’re here. Want me to make the rounds with you, show you the ropes?”

“Well, it’s not every day an entire record label throws a party for you,” Kara jokes nervously. She, in contrast, feels almost not formal enough in a light purple, beaded halter dress that’s barely long enough to cover her ass. “The rounds, uh, that sounds good.”

Coulson puts his hand on her arm reassuringly. “You’ll be fine. This is exciting, but nothing to worry too much about. Everyone here has had a similar experience to you and they can answer any questions you have. C’mon, let’s go meet some of the others.”

“Okay,” she agrees, although she’s kind of wondering why she didn’t just meet some of these people privately first. They’re all on the same label, but they still feel so much cooler than her.

Coulson guides her over to where the president and VP of the label, Maria and Victoria, are sipping from wine glasses and surveying the room. Kara’s met them before, but only briefly, and she’s a little intimidated.

“Aw, the new kid looks nervous,” says Maria, smirking. “You don’t have to be. We don’t bite.”

“I haven’t met most of these people before, that’s - that’s really it,” Kara stammers. “It’s a lovely party, Ms. Hand, Ms. Hill.”

“You have very good manners,” Victoria observes. “With the wrong leadership these things aren’t the most enjoyable way to spend evenings, so I like to make sure we make it palatable.”

“I think you do a very nice job,” says Coulson, giving her his most charming smile. “It’s certainly been nicer than the release parties for any of my former clients.”

Victoria smiles back, but hers is considerably more condescending. “Glad to hear it,” she says dryly. After a sip of wine she asks Kara, “Have you had one of your signature drinks yet?”

“My… no?”

“You should try one,” Victoria says. “I’m not sure it’s much more than fancy sangria, but it’s a blend made just for you, apparently.”

“That’s nice,” Kara says, both sounding and looking vaguely bewildered. She hasn’t even been legal to drink that long - some of these people have been legal to drink longer than she’s been alive - so it’s a little weird to have a signature drink, especially one she had nothing to do with.

They stand around looking at each other for a long moment before Coulson says, “Well, I suppose we’d better be moving on. Victoria, Maria, always a pleasure.”

“Mm,” Victoria says noncommittally, nodding.

“Oh, good, Lads and a Pixie are right over there.” Coulson herds Kara in the direction of the group of five boys who appear to be either chugging their drinks or trying to blend in with the snack table. “Hey boys, come meet your new label-mate!”

One of the tallest, who has a kind face, smiles at her. “Hey there! I’m Trip. You must be Kara?”

“Yeah,” Kara agrees, waving shyly. “This sounds so stupid but I know most of your guys’ songs by heart.”

Another, whose hair looks stupid (that’s unkind but true, and she’s thought so the entire time she’s been their fan), chuckles. “Hey, if you didn’t I’d be more surprised. I’m Lincoln.”

“Fitz,” says the Scottish one, who’s smaller than all of the others and honestly looks a bit like a lost kitten.

“Lance.” That one’s British, and nods at her, not pulling the hand that isn’t holding a beer out of his pocket.

The last one is blatantly staring at her. It’s almost predatory. “Grant,” he says, offering a hand.

Trying to keep her inner fangirl in check, Kara takes that hand gives a shake. “H-hi,” she murmurs, grinning anxiously. “Are we, ah, going to be seeing a lot more of each other?”

“I certainly hope so,” says Grant, smiling.

“Bloody hell, will you lay off chasing pretty girls for five minutes,” sighs Lance. “I’m sorry about him, we can’t do anything. He does what he wants.”

“I don’t mind,” Kara exclaims, trying to ignore that Lance just called her pretty. (That’s the stuff of teenage dreams, right?) “It’s, it’s all good fun.”

“It is!” chimes in Coulson. “We try to keep it as casual as possible. This is a good bunch of people.” He gives the boys a wave and leads Kara off. Trip and Lincoln call out goodbyes, Ward smirks after her, and Lance and Fitz stay quiet.

“Trip’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with,” says Coulson. “Fitz has a great work ethic, and Lincoln’s very relaxed - low-maintenance. Lance is...very loyal to the group, and Ward...well...he’s certainly persistent.”

Kara nods, still a bit stunned. “That all makes sense, yeah,” she says. “Good persistent?”

Coulson smiles enigmatically and doesn’t answer. He nods in the direction of a tall redheaded woman who’s smirking and running her hand down the arm of a nervous-looking young man. “That’s Lorelei. She, ah, she’s...tenacious.”

She doesn’t say anything, this Lorelei, but upon hearing her name she raises an eyebrow at Kara and waves before turning back to her presumed man candy.

“She’s gorgeous,” Kara says, because, well, it’s true - she’s one of the only women here wearing a long dress, but it’s cut up to her thigh and somehow more suggestive than any of the short ones, and she’s pretty in that magazine-cover seemingly effortless beauty that took hours to create sort of way.

“She is.” Coulson sighs a little, as if to himself. “Sometimes I wish she were less so. Please don’t get mixed up with her? She’s a handful.”

“I… I’ll try my best,” Kara promises, because she’s used to making promises like that and also because she doesn’t know what to do with people who qualify as handfuls.

Nodding approvingly, Coulson gestures to another girl, with a floral dress, short dark hair and big eyes. She’s not talking to anyone, but gazing around the party in a detached way. “That’s Raina. She’s, well. An interesting person.”

“That sounds loaded,” Kara muses.

“Not in a bad way, necessarily. She’s just, uh. Odd, let’s say.”

Raina apparently catches them looking, so Kara lifts her chin and calls out, “Hi! I’m Kara.”

“I know,” Raina says, and she clearly means well by it but is teasing all the same.

Coulson nods a greeting at her and nudges Kara away. They walk for a bit until they come upon another pair, one of whom is nursing a drink. They’re both tall and gorgeous, and Kara feels mildly intimidated. “Mack, Isabelle!” says Coulson, looking pleased. “This is Kara.”

“Hey,” says the male person in a deep, warm voice, smiling easily. “I’m Mack. Nice to meet you.”

“Hi!” Kara exclaims, giggling nervously. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mack. I don’t recognize you from… y’know…?”

“Oh I’m not one of the dancing monkeys,” he chuckles. “I write the songs, mostly.”

“Yeah, we’re just grunt workers,” says Isabelle cheerfully. “I’m the resident backup dancer.”

“That’s cool!” Kara says. “Both of those. In different ways. Is it fun?”

Isabelle shrugs. “It’s a better use of my dance minor than I expected to get out of it, anyway. And it keeps me in shape.”

“Plus you get to hang around a certain lady,” teases Mack.

“Shut up, Alphonso.” But Isabelle’s grinning.

“A certain… who?” Kara asks before she can stop herself.

“Oh, she’s got a thing for Victoria Hand. Everyone knows about it,” replies Mack. “And if it wasn’t reciprocal, Iz wouldn’t be here.”

Isabelle whacks his arm. “I’ll have you know I’m delightful at parties.”

“Alright, you two,” says Coulson, smiling, “don’t get too rowdy. Kara, you’ll probably end up working with one or both of them at one point. They’re both hardworking people.”

“Thanks, boss,” replies Mack.

“I’m not-”

“I know,” Mack interrupts, grinning, “but it sounds better.”

“Well, I look forward to it,” Kara says very formally.

“As do I,” replies Isabelle with a smirk.

Coulson spots someone across the room and waves. “Come meet the Rainbow Angels,” he says to Kara. “Two of them are about your age. They’ve been here for about a year and a half, they’ll be able to help you out with things.”

“Oh! All right,” Kara says. Of course she knows of the Rainbow Angels, mostly in a “I wish I could be as cool as them someday” way, but the idea that they’re peers now is overwhelming. One more thing to put on the list.

Skye, who’s marketed as the edgy one, smiles at them as they walk over. “Hey AC! And...you must be Kara?”

“That’s me,” Kara says, and immediately feels like an idiot.

“You probably know my name already,” says Skye, managing to sound self-deprecating rather than arrogant. “And that’s Bobbi and Jemma.”

“Hi,” Bobbi and Jemma chorus.

“Hi,” Kara repeats. “Damn, you guys look so _cool_.” And she immediately slaps her hand over her mouth when she realizes she’s sworn (even if it’s the least swear-y of swear words).

“We look like our agent handed us some money, let us loose in a BCBG, and told us to match,” Bobbi, the worldly older one, smirks. “Honestly, the longer you know us the less cool the constant coordination, as much effort as it takes, seems.”

“I just meant, oh, I don’t know,” Kara sighs. “You look put-together. Effortless, kind of.”

“Aw, you’re so cute,” replies Skye. “Must be nice to be free of the Mouse, huh?”

Kara blushes. “I guess so, yeah,” she mumbles.

“These guys aren’t so bad,” continues Skye, smirking at Coulson. “They pretty much let us get away with anything we want.” And then, as if to punctuate the remark, she pulls first Jemma and then Bobbi in for a kiss on the lips. Not platonic ones, either.

Coulson sighs. “Must you do that in front of _every_ new person?”

“Just giving an example,” says Skye.

“I rather like it,” Jemma pipes up, grinning.

“So this is normal?” Kara asks, wishing she didn’t sound so scandalized by that.

“Yup,” replies Skye smugly. “They’re my bitches.”

“ _Hey_ now,” Bobbi exclaims, trying to sound stern but also unable to stop laughing.

Coulson shakes his head. “They’re like this pretty much all the time, yes. I can’t do anything with them. Unruly children, really.”

“I think I’m perfectly ruly,” Jemma defends, and it sounds mostly legitimate because of her accent.

“I think you’re perfectly adorable,” says Skye, grabbing Jemma’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

Jemma rolls her shoulders, grinning. She’s marketed as the brainy/nerdy one, and it’s sort of easy to see why.

“Hey, ditch him and come party with us!” Skye grins at Kara. “I’ve got killer dance moves.”

Kara blinks like the proverbial deer in the headlights. “I, I mean, could I?” she asks Coulson.

Coulson chuckles. “Go play, it’s fine. Look after her,” he adds to Skye, trying for stern.

She gives him a mock salute. “Aye aye, AC. We’ll bring her back to you all boozed up.”

Rolling his eyes, he turns and walks away.

“Don’t mind them,” Bobbi says conspiratorially. “They have this weird parent-child banter thing they do.”

“Oh,” Kara squeaks. “That’s all right! I think it’s kinda neat, having people you can… rely on, I guess. That’s nice.”

Skye shrugs. “He’s a better dad than my actual dad. Anyway, c’mon, let’s go get drinks!”

“I hear I have one of those named after me or something?” Kara offers.

“You do!” Jemma chirps. “I had one earlier, it’s quite nice. Not something that’s going to knock you out, but very enjoyable.”

Kara chuckles nervously. “I’m glad,” she says. “I mean, it’d be kind of crappy if my signature drink turned out to be, uh, crap.” She flushes.

“You’re adorable,” says Skye. “C’mon, it’s all free!” She grabs Kara’s wrist and tugs her towards the bar.

Kara squeaks and follows along, watching to make sure the other two aren’t left behind. Once their drinks are all refilled (or filled, in her case), she asks, “So, you’re all… a thing, huh?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Jemma giggles.

“So were the three of you a thing and then a band, or a band and then a thing?” Kara asks.

“Mostly a band first,” Bobbi declares, looking slightly smug. “Our old label pulled us together, in classic pop band tradition. Skye and I had both had… different, mildly successful careers in entertainment before.” Said in a way like she’s not going to elaborate just now. “And Jem was just finishing up school. The two of them had met and flirted, but from what I’ve come to understand, no way in hell was _she_ -” Here, she ruffles Jemma’s hair - “was she going to get anything off the ground, romantically. She gets adorably awkward about things like that.”

“Do not,” Jemma retorts, though she knows she does.

“You kind of do,” replies Skye, leaning over to kiss her lightly. “And then it was like, well, all three of us were kind of into each other, and Bobbi’s less shy about things, so she suggested we...share.”

“It’s a bit unorthodox,” Jemma shrugs blithely, leaning against Bobbi’s side, “but it works for us.”

“Plus it freaks people out, and that’s funny.” Skye grins.

“Has anyone been a jerk about it?” Kara asks, genuinely curious. “I kinda can’t imagine that there’s not someone who hasn’t…” She shrugs, not entirely wanting to repeat the phrase “been a jerk” because it sounded lame enough the first time.

Bobbi rolls her eyes. “I take it you’ve already met my asshole ex, Lance,” she says. “He’s a jerk about pretty much everyone I’ve subsequently been with. Or smiled at. Or referred to in conversation. Just ignore him.”

“Fitz and I knew each other from university, though,” Jemma chimes in. “He’s perfectly lovely about it, and Trip is, and you met Mack and Isabelle, yes? They’re lovely as well.”

“Trip is the best!” adds Skye. “Like, literally the best. No one could hate him, and if they did they’re probably pure evil. Like Bobbi says, Hunter’s better avoided than anything, Fitz is kind of dorky but sweet, Lincoln’s super chill, Mack is ridiculously talented and awesome, and Ward…” She makes a face. “He’s, uh. A piece of work.”

“Oh,” Kara says. “He seemed all right just now?”

““Yeah, he seems a lot of things.” Skye rolls her eyes. “Be careful around him, okay?”

Kara nods. “Promise,” she says. “I think my character-judging skills got a little messed up. Everyone at Disney plays nice to your face, you know how it is.”

Skye winces. “Yeah, I know how that is. It’s fucked up. But hey, you got out!”

“I did!” Kara smiles. She can feel the drink starting to go to her head and it’s nice, it’s a very nice feeling. But that answer does cause her to tilt her head and ask, “Wait, do you just know in the general way or am I missing something?”

“Oh! I forget you wouldn’t know, since you’re new. When I was like seven, my crazy stage dad decided he wanted a famous kid, so he pulled some strings and got me a role on one of the Disney shows. For, honestly, way too long.” Skye grins sheepishly.

“He’s a bit of a micromanaging arse,” Jemma declares with a frown. “But you made it out all right, I’d say.” She reaches to squeeze Skye’s hand.

“I did.” Skye smiles at her and continues, “Then he tried to get me to be a baby Disney pop star, which didn’t last long, and then a voice actress, which lasted an even shorter time, because it sucked having him and all the other execs pushing me around. At which point my mom said ‘fuck you’ and sued for full custody.”

“Damn,” Kara murmurs, twirling her straw in her glass. “I’m sorry. That’s rough.”

Skye shrugs, trying for nonchalance. “It’s better now. I don’t ever have to see him. And Mom’s cool, she didn’t push for any of this. It was all me.”

“Awesome,” Kara grins. “I was never really up on the kiddie stuff, but I feel like I’d have remembered a Skye, though?”

“Oh, I was Daisy at the time,” says Skye. Scoffs, really. “That was dear old Dad’s idea. My mom is, y’know, Chinese, from China, and not super keen on the cutesy-ness of it, but she was so out of it after the labor and all she couldn’t argue with him about it. So yeah, we changed that shit as soon as we could.”

“I think Skye’s much nicer,” Jemma beams. She’s tipsy and accordingly getting handsy, which means she’s reaching to twine and untwine her fingers with Skye’s absentmindedly. “I think you’d be nice no matter what you’re called, but you should be called what you want to be called.”

Skye hums and nuzzles Jemma’s neck. “You’re cute when you’re tipsy.”

Bobbi takes a sip of her own drink, shrugging. “Well, we might as well enjoy it while we can, before we get hauled in for another recording blitz,” she declares.

Kara nods solemnly. “So is there other gossip?” she asks.

“Well, you’ve probably heard about Isabelle and Victoria,” replies Skye. “They’re totally gonna do it before the year’s out. We have a pool going. I bet by Halloween.”

Kara giggles, and she’s about to respond when movement by the door catches her eye. A woman’s entering, wearing a knee-length black dress that’s definitely too classy for this party and a matching expression. A couple of lackeys trail behind her, looking wary.

Sounding completely awed, Kara murmurs, “Holy crap, that’s…”

“Melinda May? Yeah.” Skye grins. “I’m surprised she’s made an appearance, she usually stays away from the rest of us.”

“She’s so pretty,” Kara whispers.

“A bit like the first time you look at constellations through a telescope,” Jemma agrees.

“It’s a big compliment that she’s here,” Bobbi muses.

“Yeah,” says Skye, looking over at Kara. She knows _exactly_ what that look on her face means. “You should go say hi.”

“You think?” Kara asks, or more like squeaks.

“Oh, totally!” Bobbi declares. “It’s your party, isn’t it?”

“Uh-huh,” Kara agrees, nodding anxiously and fixing her hair. “Wish me luck?” That tumbles out before she knows why and of course she blushes.

Skye giggles. “Good luck!”

Kara takes a deep breath and heads over to where Melinda is standing. “Hi!” she chirps.

“Hi,” replies Melinda, sounding amused. “You must be Kara Lynn?”

Kara nods eagerly. “I, yes, that’s me,” she says. “That isn’t my real name, or it’s not my _full_ real name, but the Disney people said it was less… confusing, I think? It’s not as if you asked, though, so I don’t know why I’m telling you that.”

Melinda chuckles. “It’s fine. I understand name changes. You must be excited.”

“And terrified,” Kara admits. “Right now, a little more terrified.”

“It’ll get easier.” Melinda gives her a very small, but genuine, smile. “Nice to meet you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Referenced dresses: [Kara](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/parker-sansa-beaded-woven-minidress/4049971?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=60132038&fashionColor=&resultback=310), [Lorelei](http://www.fameandpartners.com/dresses/dress-decadent-dream-538?color=nude&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=538-27895&gclid=CPboto-ruMcCFQQHaQodzUkDSw), [Raina](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/theia-print-satin-sheath-dress/4003517?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=&resultback=457), [Jemma](http://www.bcbg.com/Wilma-Jacquard-A-Line-Dress/PBX61D29-003,default,pd.html?dwvar_PBX61D29-003_color=003&cgid=dresses), [Bobbi](http://www.bcbg.com/Caryn-Wrap-Vest-Dress/RND61F60-001,default,pd.html?dwvar_RND61F60-001_color=001&cgid=dresses), [Skye](http://www.bcbg.com/Elyzabeth-Crossed-Cutout-Dress/LHL69A97-001,default,pd.html?dwvar_LHL69A97-001_color=001&cgid=dresses), [Melinda](http://www.dolcegabbana.com/woman/collection/apparel/dolce-and-gabbana-winter-2016-woman-collection-83/).


	2. you are an expert at "sorry" and keeping lines blurry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara films a music video; much to her chagrin, it's with Ward.

“Kara?” There’s a knock at her dressing room door.

“Come in,” Kara calls, making sure her robe is closed and managing a nervy smile.

Coulson enters, holding a bottle of water. “I thought you might need this. Are you nervous? Excited?”

“Yes,” she says immediately, reaching for the bottle and taking a long drink.

“You’ll be fine,” he says, smiling. “Everyone’s done this a hundred times before, they’ll help you out.”

“It’s the part where everyone’s done this a hundred times before that I’m worrying about,” Kara admits. “This shouldn’t be so hard but -” She grimaces down at her chest. “I’m not used to this. My job was being approachable and fun, not…”

“I know this must be more provocative than you’re used to,” says Coulson kindly, “but you’ll get used to it.”

“I’m not looking forward to the magazine spreads showing off my lost innocence,” she sighs.

Coulson puts his hand on her shoulder. It’s a bit awkward, but meant well. “Don’t let that get to you. They’re just trying for shock, no one actually believes them.”

“I’m sure you’re very reputable,” she begins, “but how often have you been in magazines?” It’s asked kindly, but it’s a pointed question.

He chuckles. “Well, no one wants to see an old man who looks like me in those magazines.”

Kara shrugs uncomfortably, because she isn’t really good at discussing other people’s appearances, and she says, “I just know that tabloids are moronic, but it’s hard not to take them personally sometimes.”

“I understand. Unfortunately, it’s part of the job.” He glances at the door. “They’ll probably be ready for you soon. I’ll leave you to get dressed.”

“Thanks,” she says, because even though she doesn’t exactly feel better she knows he was trying, and that’s something, sort of.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, my,” Kara mumbles to herself as she steps onto the soundstage.

There are parts of this video that are going to be shot outside for real, which makes sense considering it’s allegedly beach-themed (despite the song not even so much as referencing sunlight, but whatever), but parts of it are being shot in the label’s giant complex. And it’s more daunting than it ought to be, especially when all one is wearing is a string bikini and a bathrobe.

Oh well. At least they’re not making her play a cheerleader or something.

She heads over to her designated lot, taking it all in as she does. Most of the other lots are unoccupied save builders and other techs, but one seems to be filled by the Rainbow Angels, and in spite of herself she stops to watch for a minute, awed.

Skye notices her staring after a moment and waves, her hands covered in fake blood. “Hi!” she mouths exaggeratedly.

“What the hell?” Kara mouths back, silently giggling.

“Murder!” Bobbi exclaims, and she doesn’t even bother to be quiet about it. The production team, apparently used to such interruptions, lets the girls break away for a moment. “Obviously, we’re the lascivious queer feminists who are gonna rip your dick off if you act out. We might as well play into it.”

Jemma chuckles, clearly trying not to blush. “Revenge fantasies, and not sanitized ones, are fulfilling,” she concludes.

“Oh,” Kara says. “Okay. That… kinda makes sense. I think.”

“Plus it’s fun,” adds Skye with a grin.

“That makes sense too,” Kara agrees. “Is the song… you know. About anyone?”

“Not specifically,” Jemma offers.

Skye shrugs. “There’s a little from a lot of douchebags. Y’know how it is.”

“Yeah,” Kara says, even though she’s not entirely sure she does. “Good luck, or break a leg, or, whatever you like better.”

“Thanks. You too! Don’t get too freaked out, it’s not that bad.”

“No,” Kara agrees. “I’ve just never done fake romance that’s heavier than a kiss on the cheek. So it’s gonna be…” She trails off, shrugs helplessly.

“Well, who’s your opposite?” Jemma asks. “Do you know? I assume they at least did you the courtesy of letting you know.”

“Oh, it’s, it’s Grant, I guess?” Kara says.

Jemma involuntarily gasps, Bobbi suddenly gets a face like she smelled something bad, and Skye curls her lip. “Well...just don’t let him get too close,” she all but snarls.

“Close how?” Kara can’t help but ask.

“He’s just...he’s obsessive and creepy and he won’t leave you alone if he’s into you,” sighs Skye. “He only stopped targeting me when these two” - she gestures to the other Angels - “started pranking him. Violently.”

“Well, for one thing, she’s obviously ours, he’s not even an option,” Bobbi shrugs blithely. “And for another, stalking isn’t at all acceptable.”

“It wasn’t anything that could have hurt him, really,” Jemma chimes in. “But a few sandbags to the face tend to put douches like him in their place.”

“Shiii.... uh, crap,” Kara says, somewhere between awed and terrified.

Skye frowns. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. Just...watch yourself around him. He’s got a way of luring you in.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Kara mumbles. “Thank you for warning me.”

“Of course. We gotta look out for each other.” Skye smiles at her.

“Yeah,” Kara agrees, even though she’s a little surprised. There wasn’t necessarily that mentality among her Disney peers, after all.

“Anyway, don’t let us keep you, I’m sure they’re all waiting on the star,” Bobbi coos, waving Kara off with a smile of her own.

Feeling a little better about things, Kara heads for her lot, immediately blinking at the bright lights set up everywhere to simulate a tropical paradise. While she was gone, Ward arrived, wearing bright orange swim trunks and nothing else. “Hey,” he says, blatantly ogling. “Nice to run into you again.”

“Yeah,” Kara mumbles, as noncommittally as she can manage.

“You look really good,” he continues. “That suit shows you off nicely.”

“I’m glad I don’t have a lot of dancing to do,” she says. “I’m afraid I’d fall out.”

He scoffs. “Please. Yours aren’t that big anyway, you’d be fine.”

Kara resists the urge to roll her eyes, slap him, or roll her eyes and then slap him. “I’m sure if you were wearing the speedo I could say the same thing,” she mutters, and she hurries off to go consult with the director.

He blinks, staring after her in confusion.

 

* * *

 

Kara is having lunch with the Angels, and it seems like a wonderful day. Sun shining, no loud noises making them wish they sat inside instead of on the terrace, all of it. And then her phone buzzes.

Twitter. Great.

“Have you guys ever trended?” she asks warily.

Skye shrugs. “Sometimes. Usually the whole group, but one time Bobbi beat the shit of some asshole while sparring at the gym. That went viral.”

“What?” Bobbi says defensively. “Not like he didn’t deserve worse, he was scamming on _everyone_. It was disgusting.” She takes a sip of her iced tea. “And he was arrogant as fuck.”

Kara giggles, but she sees her phone again and sobers. “Well, I’m not sure if I should be proud of my trend,” she says, sliding the phone across the table for their inspection.

“Is Kara Lynn dating our favorite Lad?” Jemma reads. And she immediately grimaces.

Skye grabs the phone and gags. “Jealous of Kara Lynn? The fuck kind of hashtag is that?”

Bobbi sighs. “I assume they don’t mean jealous of her winning personality and stunning good looks,” she mutters. “Labelmates seen on the town after the release of their new video.”

“It’s _your_ video,” Jemma exclaims indignantly. “He’s just the eye candy. If you like that sort of thing.” She shudders, because she very much does not.

“On the town?” Bobbi echoes.

“I was coming out of a club as he was leaving,” Kara explains. “He stopped me for conversation. I didn’t want to be a jerk.”

Skye makes a face. “Honestly, you can be a jerk to Ward. Doesn’t matter. He’s gonna be creepy either way.”

“Not exactly something I’m great at, you know how it is,” Kara replies, shrugging sheepishly.

“Oh, yeah, Disney kind of forces you to play nice, huh?” Skye asks.

Kara nods. “It’s not the best environment to get your voice heard in,” she agrees. “And the teen magazine drama is best avoided.”

“Well, if you need bitch lessons, look no further,” says Skye with a grin.

“Oh, yeah, she’s very convincing,” Bobbi agrees. “And I myself am something of an _artiste_ of bitchery.”

“They are,” Jemma agrees. “It’s incredibly hot to watch.”

“Well, you’re not so bad yourself,” purrs Skye, nuzzling Jemma’s cheek.

“I had good teachers,” Jemma hums.

“God, you’re kind of disgusting, you know it?” Kara asks, laughing.

“We try.” Skye smirks. “But yeah, sorry about your hashtag. That’s shitty.”

“Is there nothing more interesting to report on? Think about?” Kara sighs. “I mean, I know it’s not a groundbreaking video, but it’s not _just_ supposed to be rumor bait.”

“I think that’s one of the biggest downfalls of this business,” Jemma says with a sympathetic frown. “Good grief, when the magazines got hold of the fact that Fitz and I were old school chums, they didn’t let go for months. Because a girl and a boy are incapable of going to school together and getting along without hooking up.”

“And they just _love_ Lance and I,” Bobbi rolls her eyes. “I swear every time _People_ doesn’t have enough cover stories they drag up a picture of us standing next to each other and depending on how happy we look there’s a caption about how we’re either getting back together or I’m making his life a living hell.”

Skye snorts. “Yeah, I got Ward rumors too, for like a month. That didn’t last long.”

“And Lincoln rumors,” Bobbi chimes in mischievously.

“And I think there was _one_ Trip rumor,” Jemma adds.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, I get around,” replies Skye, grinning. “Point is, they’re annoying but you just gotta ignore them.”

“Ignore who?” Melinda walks up to them, raising an eyebrow.

“Twitter,” Bobbi groans.

“Oh! It’s just, just stupid rumors,” Kara explains, almost squirming in her seat (Jemma nudges Skye to notice).

Skye snickers. “Yeah, everybody’s jealous cause she’s dating Ward, according to the internet.”

Melinda snorts. “Oh, excellent.”

“It’s all circumstantial evidence and hearsay,” Bobbi shrugs, “but you know how this gets.”

Nodding, Melinda replies, “I do. Remember the rumors about Phil and I? Those were ridiculous.”

“And insulting,” Jemma chimes in. “The worst insinuations.”

Melinda turns to Kara and explains, “There were a lot of people assuming that when I started out, Phil signed me because we were sleeping together. I can assure you that was not the case.”

Kara blushes. “I’m sorry, that’s a terrible thing for someone to say,” she murmurs.

Shrugging, Melinda smiles slightly. “It’s old news. They mostly stopped after my first album was released. I’m too old for Twitter to worry about my sex life now.”

“But you’re so talented,” Kara says before she can stop herself. “Not that they should be worrying, but you’re… oh, you know, you’re…” And she realizes this is going down a terrible road and manages to shut up.

Bobbi kicks Skye under the table, eyebrow raised.

“You’re sweet,” replies Melinda. “Don’t listen to the rumors. Just do your work and do it well.”


	3. the playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Angels invite Kara to the spa for relaxation and gossip.

“I can really cover myself, it’s fine,” Kara stammers as Bobbi whips out a credit card.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Bobbi says. “It’s our treat. Consider it a ‘congratulations on weathering the months of stupid gossip’ present.”

“If you insist,” Kara says sheepishly. “I have the next one, though, okay?”

Jemma giggles. “Okay,” she says. “But don’t even worry about today.”

“So what do you want?” Skye asks with a grin. “Anything’s fair game.”

“Nails?” Kara suggests. “That’s a good place to start.”

“Nails it is,” Bobbi hums. “Nails are fun because then we can get all our good gossip out of the way.”

“I feel like I’m so out of the loop,” Kara giggles. “I’ve been in the studio or I’ve been asleep, that’s about it lately.”

“Yeah, I know how that is,” Bobbi agrees. “Luckily, we keep tabs.”

“ _You_ keep tabs,” Jemma corrects. “Not all of us are quite so inclined.”

Skye snorts. “I mean, it’s not hard to keep tabs, even if you’re not trying. You hear shit either way.”

“Well, then, fill me in,” Kara laughs.

“Have you heard about Victoria and Isabelle?” Bobbi asks as they head for the manicurists’ stations.

“I mean, I know they kinda have the hots for each other,” Kara shrugs.

“That’s an understatement,” replies Skye with a grin. “Well, so they finally hooked up.”

“They did?” Kara exclaims. “Oh, that’s nice!”

“Nice is an understatement,” Bobbi drawls. “They’re both about a hundred times happier and also, Isabelle has finally stopped making smug jokes about their unresolved sexual tension.”

“I admit, I am glad for them,” Jemma agrees.

Skye snickers. “Plus, Coulson caught them, you know, doing _stuff_ in the office.”

“Like, sex stuff?” Kara asks, just to be sure. By now they’ve all sat down at adjacent tables, polishes at the ready.

“You are so cute,” Bobbi smirks.

“Yep,” Skye replies. “I guess it freaked him out pretty bad too, he wouldn’t even look Victoria in the eye for a couple days.”

“You say that like he makes a habit of looking her in the eye most days,” Jemma says wryly. “He’s a bit afraid of her, I think,” she explains to Kara.

“Well, she’s kinda intimidating,” Kara shrugs.

“That’s what she likes to make people think,” Bobbi chuckles.

“She’s good at making people think it!” Jemma squeaks. “She’s very - imposing.”

Skye’s smirking. “It’s mostly an act, I think. I mean, she doesn’t like me much, but still.”

“Still, if it’s an act, it’s a good one,” Jemma mumbles.

“That’s true,” Kara agrees. “But I’m glad if she’s… getting… yeah.”

“Adorable,” Bobbi says.

Kara’s reaction to this, of course, is to blush.

“Aw, don’t worry. Bobbi flirts with everybody.” Skye grins.

“I resent that,” Bobbi snaps.

“Almost everybody?” Jemma amends hopefully.

“Getting warmer.”

“Just girls, unless she needs something from a guy,” concedes Skye. “Better?”

“Definitely more accurate,” Bobbi says smugly. “I mean, catch me at a different time in my life and I might have been flirting with guys for other reasons, too. It’s just irrelevant lately.”

“We’re honored,” Jemma deadpans.

Kara shakes her head. This is all - well, it’s very unlike anything she’s used to. “This is normal for you guys, I guess?”

“Very,” Bobbi agrees. “Let’s see, what else do we need to catch you up on?”

“Do you know about the long con Lorelei’s got going on Hunter?” Skye asks.

“Oh, god, I keep trying to forget that,” Bobbi groans.

“No!” Kara exclaims at the same time. “What do you mean, a long con?”

“Well, as I’m sure you know, Lorelei is… unique when it comes to how she deals with men,” Jemma says broadly.

Snorting, Skye adds, “ _That’s_ an understatement.”

“I know she’s kind of… I guess, uh, I guess she’s a tease?” Kara offers, wincing. “Like, she’s not good at keeping guys around.”

“On purpose. She doesn’t want them around for long,” corrects Skye. “But with Hunter it’s...I mean I guess it’s because they’re on the same label and they do a lot of press and stuff at the same time? But she’s been stringing him along for a couple months now.”

“He must be really _curious_ about the rumors about her,” Bobbi chimes in. “God knows he wouldn’t be this patient with most women. He’s never been good at waiting.”

“You’d know,” quips Skye.

“Shut up,” Bobbi snaps. “I was tiny, we were horny, and apparently Jesus gave a shit.” To Kara she explains, “I grew up fundamentalist, and when I started out in music, it was as a doe-eyed Christian singer-songwriter. It was a whole thing.”

“Oh,” Kara says, wrinkling her nose. “A bad whole thing?”

Bobbi smirks. “Well, considering I come before you a polyamorous bisexual pop singer who owns and wears a somewhat ridiculous amount of leather, let’s just say it’s a whole thing that didn’t fit right.”

“Oh,” Kara repeats. “Well, I’m glad this is better for you.”

“We are too,” Jemma beams.

“But it does mean she’s constantly having to fend off rumors about ‘getting back together’ with him,” adds Skye, rolling her eyes. “You know, despite our rampant PDA.”

“Just gals being pals,” Bobbi sighs. “It’s funny, too, because he’s more rampant than we are, just not with the same girls each time. He thinks he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.”

“He doesn’t seem very… uniquely appealing to me,” Kara admits.

“He’s generic, but that suits some people,” Jemma says. “No offense, Bobbi.”

“None taken,” Bobbi says, blowing Jemma a kiss. “Knowing Lorelei, that was part of the appeal of conning the hell out of him, playing with his reputation.”

“Yeah, probably,” Skye agrees. “So that’s going on. Poor bastard has no idea.”

“If all she does to him is what she’s done to everyone else, he’s not a poor bastard,” Bobbi says. “I don’t normally say that people have things like that coming, but… well.”

Skye shrugs. “Good point. Oh, and you met Trip, right?” she asks Kara. “Trip’s the best.”

“Yeah!” Kara says. “He seems really cool.”

“Have he and Fitz gotten together yet?” Skye asks Jemma. “Feels like they’ve been dancing around each other forever.”

Jemma purses her lips thoughtfully. “I don’t know that they _have_ , but I rang him the other night about something or other and I could swear I heard Trip in the background.”

“Is that _so_!” Bobbi exclaims, sounding smug. “Good for them.”

“It will certainly make him less awkward about things,” Jemma says, rolling her eyes fondly. To Kara she explains, “He’s never been exactly forthcoming.”

“Do you know if he’s even dated _anyone_ before?” Skye asks.

“Not strictly speaking,” Jemma says. “He’s picky, and he’s had horrible luck besides that.” She shrugs, sighing.

“Awww, that’s really sweet, then,” Kara says. “I mean, probably. If Trip’s so great, which I’m sure he is.”

“Oh, hey, and Mack mentioned his new boyfriend the other day,” says Skye. “Joey the audio equipment guy?”

“How _dare_ he tell you before he told me,” Bobbi exclaims, although she’s clearly not offended.

Skye laughs. “I mean, it kinda seemed like it just slipped out.”

“Still,” Bobbi huffs. “I mean, I’m happy he’s happy, but - still. Best friend rights, or something.”

“I think they’re waiting for us to move over to the pedicure chairs,” Jemma interjects.

“So they are,” Bobbi says, and she leads the way over.

“God, they’re so pretty,” Kara exclaims, looking at her nails appreciatively. “This is really classy. Thanks for having me along, you guys. And thanks to _you guys_ for doing such a great job,” she adds to the staff, who nod in understanding.

“Of course,” Bobbi says. “Besides, we’ve got that photo spread coming up, might as well start looking fabulous in advance.”

“Okay, I know it was normal to have like, all the teen Disney stars do an article together but is that a normal label thing too?” Kara asks.

Skye snorts. “No, that’s just because Coulson’s the head editor’s pet.”

“...say again?” Kara yelps.

“It’s really none of our business,” Jemma frets.

“But it _is_ though,” insists Skye, eyes gleaming. “Basically, she bosses him around and he likes it. And I guess somebody decided to use that for promotion.”

“Uh-huh,” Kara says doubtfully. “So it’s us…”

“Trip, Fitz, Ward, Lincoln, Hunter,” Skye rattles off. “And…”

‘Melinda,” Bobbi adds.

“Melinda’s going to be in the shoot with us?” Kara squeaks.

“No, she’s way too classy for that,” Bobbi smirks. “But she _is_ here right now.” She lifts a hand to wave Melinda over, apparently oblivious to Kara’s blushing.

“Lorelei and Raina are also going to be in the spread, I think,” Jemma offers as a distraction, but Kara isn’t listening.

“Uh, hi,” she says to Melinda.

“Hi,” says Melinda with a smile. “Skye, Jemma, Bobbi,” she adds.

“Just here for a bit of relaxation?” Jemma chirps.

“Something like that. And you?”

“The same, basically,” Bobbi says casually. She glances sideways at Kara before adding, “Treating this one to something nice.”

“Enjoying yourself?” Melinda asks her.

“I really am,” Kara says shyly. “It’s - I mean, I’ve been recording nonstop, it’s really nice to just get out and clear my mind.”

Melinda nods. “I’m sure. I’m thinking of having a facial in about half an hour, do you want to join me?”

Kara makes a funny noise. “That would be really nice, yes.”

Grinning, Skye says, “Hey, that works out, the three of us were talking about getting massages anyway.”

“We were?” Jemma asks quietly, raising an eyebrow.

Skye shoots her a look. “Yeah, don’t you _remember_?”

“Oh!” Jemma exclaims. “Yes, we were.”

“In fact, soon as we’re done here, we can get out of your hair and meet up later,” Bobbi suggests.

“I mean, is that okay?” Kara exclaims. “We were… hanging out, but if you don’t mind…”

Bobbi shrugs. “Go, it’ll be fun,” she says. “Mel’s a good spa buddy.”

Melinda chuckles. “Nice of you to say so. See you in a bit, Kara.” She turns to go.

“You’re welcome,” Skye says, winking at Kara.

 

* * *

 

“Are they giving you a hard time?” Melinda asks when Kara meets her a half hour later.

“Oh, no,” Kara says quickly. “They’re very sweet. They just tease in a different way than I’m used to, is all.”

Melinda tilts her head. “Well, they mean well. Don’t let it get to you.”

“I’m not,” Kara promises. “It’s different, but it’s not bad. They’ve been really nice. I mean, honestly, everyone has.”

“Good. You’ve been lucky,” says Melinda, not unkindly. “It’s not always that way. I’m sure you already know that.”

“I do,” Kara nods. “I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.”

“I certainly didn’t have such a pleasant welcome at my first label,” says Melinda with a wry smile. “But that was a different time.”

“Different how?” Kara asks. “I mean, you don’t need to tell me, I just…”

Melinda rolls her eyes. “Well, I probably don’t need to tell you that it’s different if you’re not a white girl in pop music.”

“No,” Kara says. “I mean, they had me drop my last name because it was too ‘confusing,’ I can almost guarantee that wouldn’t have happened if I was half-Greek, half-something else European.”

“That sounds about right,” says Melinda with a nod. “My other name, Qiaolian, was ‘too difficult’ so they went with Melinda.”

“Melinda is pretty, though,” Kara says, like she’s trying to find the bright side. “I mean, so is Qiaolian. That’s - what does that mean?”

“Clever, or skillful, always. Multiple meanings depending on the pronunciation, like most Chinese words.”

“Oh, that’s so cool,” Kara murmurs.

Melinda pulls up her sleeve to reveal a small character on her upper left arm. “Here it is,” she says.

Kara’s eyes go wide. “That’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” says Melinda with a small smile. “You said you’re Greek?”

“My dad’s side, anyway,” Kara explains. “Mom’s from Sri Lanka. It’s kind of a weird mix, I know.”

Melinda nods. “Not that weird. Interesting.”

They’re ushered in for their facials and once the masks have been applied, Kara works up the nerve to ask, “So I’ve never been on one of these, uh, well, grown-up photo shoots. Do you have any… advice?”

“Advice for what specifically? How to get through it?”

“Something like that, yeah,” Kara mumbles. “What it’s going to be like. That sort of thing.”

Melinda laughs. “It’s not so bad. Tedious, mostly. What have they told you?”

“Well, it’s going to be a bunch of us, I guess,” she says. “Me and the Angels and - really everyone else on the label who’s, y’know, a baby.”

“It really depends on what angle they want to take. Considering it’s a group thing, they might try for paired-off photos.” Melinda snorts and adds, “Better hope you have a decent partner if it comes to that.”

“God, if they stick me with Grant again…”

“Unfortunately that kind of thing comes with the job,” says Melinda. “I’ve found it helps if you try to think about someone you actually _are_ attracted to.”

Kara is thankful for the face mask, because otherwise Melinda would see she’s bright red. “I guess that makes sense,” she says quickly.

“It’s mostly a fake-it-till-you-make-it sort of thing.” Melinda makes a face. “Excuse the phrase, but you know what I mean.”

“I do, I think,” Kara agrees. “It’s just a really weird, different kind of acting, I guess.”

“Yes. Irritating, but temporary.”

Kara hums thoughtfully. “Do you still do that kind of thing often?”

“I don’t have to as much anymore. The label knows I’ll get buzz regardless of whether I’m draped over some pretty boy or not, so they allow me to call the shots at a lot of my photoshoots. Can’t say I miss it.”

“That must be so nice,” Kara murmurs reverently.

Melinda smiles. “I wasn’t much for the sex appeal even when I was starting out, anyway. Aside from some of the seedier tabloids, the media mostly doesn’t care about my sex life or lack thereof anymore. It is _very_ nice.”

“Oh, but, but you’re - I mean, even if you… you’re still very…” Kara gives a frustrated little whine, because there’s no way out of this gracefully.

That makes Melinda chuckle. “Thank you. You’re sweet.”

Kara can’t help it, she sort of wiggles on the table and then immediately hopes Melinda didn’t notice. “I think it’s, uh, it’s well-deserved.”

“Or something,” says Melinda wryly. “One last piece of advice: don’t lose that sweetness. It’s easy to do in this business.”

“I…” Kara worries her bottom lip for a moment. What is she even supposed to say to that? “I’ll try not to. Thank you.”


	4. I'm really gonna miss you picking fights and me falling for it screaming that I'm right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The label has a group photoshoot for their younger artists, which quickly devolves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for Ward being the walking embodiment of rape culture.

Skye shoves half a sub into her mouth, apparently not caring that she’s surrounded by professional photographers and wearing a thousand dollar dress. “Mmm,” she hums.

“That’s so much food,” Jemma sighs not because she disapproves of it being eaten but because - well, it’s a lot all at once.

After wolfing down the mouthful, Skye shrugs. “I was hungry. I didn’t get lunch.”

“And it has nothing to do with wanting to fuck with the magazine people a little,” Bobbi says, nodding wisely.

“I mean, it can’t hurt if they snap a pic of me eating food like a regular person,” Skye says, taking another enormous bite.

“Careful what soundbytes you give them, though,” Bobbi cautions.  “God knows they can throw things around and make it sound weird.”

Skye snorts. “So you’re saying I shouldn’t deepthroat the sub?”

“Don’t deepthroat anything!” Jemma shrieks.  Immediately after this, she decides to look around the room as if trying to find the culprit of that remark.  This seems like an effective way of pretending she didn’t actually say that.

Of course, Lorelei perks up from across the room and calls, “So quick to make that proclamation.” She sounds equal parts amused and smug.

Jemma decides the only logical course of action is to become suddenly very interested in her phone.

Skye’s finishing off the last of her second sandwich when she glances at the door and says, “ _Damn!_ ”

Kara’s just emerged from hair and makeup, and she’s probably more done up than she’s been in her entire life.  It’s not actually ridiculous, though, and she actually feels pretty hot, which is still a new thing.  Her dress is some white pearl-covered number that she refused to ask the price of because she really doesn’t want to know, her hair is curled loosely, she has probably an entire MAC store on her face.  It’s a whole thing.

“Hey,” she says shyly, waving at the Angels.

“Hey yourself,” says Bobbi, giving Kara a once-over.  “You look good.”

“Thanks,” Kara murmurs.  “You guys just waiting to go back?”

Skye nods, her eyes traveling up and down Kara. “I would be making different comments if I wasn’t super taken,” she says with a playful grin.

Kara blushes.  “I’m guessing that’s a compliment?”

“Oh, certainly,” Jemma chimes in, grinning.  “You look lovely.”

Trip ambles over and smiles. “Hey, long time no see, Kara.”

“Hey!” Kara exclaims, grinning.  “You look, uh, dapper.”  She nods to confirm this assessment.

“You look pretty good yourself,” he replies. “And the rest of you, of course.”

“We’re not even done up fully,” Jemma says, rolling her eyes fondly.  “And that one’s still availing herself of the free snacks.”

Skye swallows the handful of chips she’d been chewing and shrugs. “Who else is gonna eat them?”

From that same doorway, an assistant calls for the Angels to head into makeup and Bobbi nods.  “We’d better get it over with,” she says playfully, tugging her girls with her.

“See you soon!” Kara calls, although considering it’ll be twenty minutes or so at the most it doesn’t really warrant commentary.

“So how’s life treating you?” Trip asks, grabbing half a sub.

“Okay,” Kara says with a shrug.  “Dodging rumors.  Working on my album.  God, that’s such a weird thing to say.”

Trip laughs. “You get used to it after a while, sort of. Or maybe you don’t. Parts of it still feel surreal to me.”

“And it’s all so… I don’t know, nudge-nudge, I guess?” she laughs.  “Like this is all happening because our agent is having a thing with some magazine… person, I guess?”

“Ms. Price. Yeah, she’s, uh. Driven.” Trip smiles like he’s trying to be polite. “But hey, it’s only for like a day and then we get to go home. And, free food.”

“That’s true,” Kara laughs.

Fitz wanders over, probably in search of food, but he smiles a bit shyly at Kara. “Hi,” he says, unconsciously leaning so his body is touching Trip’s.

Kara tilts her head, watching this for a second.  “Hi,” she returns, smiling back.  “Sandwiches?  There are still plenty left.”

“Yes, thanks.” He leans over to take one, brushing his arm against Trip almost absentmindedly. Trip doesn’t react besides the smallest of smiles. “Not as good as my special sandwiches,” remarks Fitz, “but they’ll do.”

“Special sandwiches?” Kara echoes, feeling like she shouldn’t want to know.

“Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella, with a hint of homemade pesto aioli,” says Fitz, almost as if he’s reciting it. “But it’s hard to get it made correctly.”

“Yeah, Jemma’s pretty much the only one who can, right, Fitz?” calls a new voice. It’s Grant, and Kara full-on shudders, exhaling heavily through her nose.  He comes right up behind her, peering over her shoulder at Fitz. “That’s true love,” he muses, “knowing how to make your sandwich just right.”

“Platonic love,” Kara mutters, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, Ward, quit being stupid,” mutters Fitz.

“True stupidity is rejecting new ideas outright,” he says lightly. “Kara. It’s been awhile.”

“I’ve been busy,” Kara replies without looking at him, instead devoting her attention to the bottle of water she’s sipping from.

“Yes, I’ve heard,” Grant says. “Working on the album, right? Must be pretty overwhelming sometimes.”

“Sometimes,” she says coolly.  “Interesting, though.”  Not like spending any time with him, is what she’s hoping to convey in her tone.

“Y’know, if it ever gets to be too much for you, you can always give me a call. I know some nice hideouts around here. Pretty girl like yourself shouldn’t be overworked.”

“She’s recording a pop album,” Lorelei says, swooping in like a storm of perfume and fringe and jewels and general sparkle.  “She’d almost certainly be more overworked riding your sorry dick on and off for whatever too-long amount of time you’d demand.”

Trip does his best to stifle his bark of laughter (Fitz is far less successful) and Kara has to cover her mouth and work consciously to keep from choking on her water.  Grant seems equally taken aback, just spluttering for a minute, before Hunter wanders by and says, “Seems like you’re out of luck, mate.”

“Love the dress,” Lorelei says to Kara, reaching to brush hair off her shoulder and nodding approvingly.  “Very sweet.”

“Thanks,” Kara replies, tugging at her neckline.  “It’s the one they handed me, so I’m glad it seems to be impressing everyone, I guess.”  She pauses to look Lorelei’s - tight, fringed, suggestive, blush-pink - over.  “Yours is nice, too.”

“Yeah, they know by now they can do me up like a sex kitten and it’ll work,” Lorelei says smugly.

“Is there some sort of theme?” Kara asks, nodding between their dresses and the boys’ lightish green shirts.

Lorelei snickers.  “Yes, sort of,” she says, turning to call, “Raina, dear, come show off.”  In a moment said woman has appeared, and it all makes sense to Kara: Raina’s own dress is floor-length, black, covered in pink and white flowers with green leaves.  “It would just be weird if they didn’t accommodate her,” Lorelei explains, “so they match everyone else around her.”

“I’m not complaining,” Raina says with a wide smile.  “Cohesion is nice, and flowers are nicer.  I see you got the innocent look, Kara?”

Kara takes a second to process all of this and nods.  “Apparently,” she says.

Lincoln joins the rest of his group, wearing a forest green shirt and a black vest. He looks less than thrilled. “Whose idea was this?” he asks, gesturing vaguely to the vest.

“Probably trying to differentiate,” says Trip, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, I’ve got a bowtie,” Fitz points out. “Bowties are cool.” He gestures to Trip. “He’s got suspenders, and Ward has a fedora. So we’ve each got a thing, except Hunter.”

“And I’m feeling just dandy about it,” says Lance.

Lincoln huffs. “It’s stupid.”

“I think you look nice,” Kara says, pointedly not looking at Grant.

“Cohesion,” Raina says again, airily.  “It works, and it’s not like they’re making you go out like this afterward.”

“I guess.” Lincoln continues to grumble under his breath as he wanders away.

Lance sighs. “There he goes again.”

“Where is he going?” Kara asks.  “I mean, not to be, y’know.  Dense.”

Raina rolls her eyes, smirking. “He gets _moods_ ,” she says, exaggerating the words.

“It’s not that bad,” Trip says.

“I’ve seen it get pretty bad,” Raina says.

“He gets into arguments with Coulson,” says Fitz, looking nervous. “Or fights, really. He likes to be in control of things. And he’s stormed offstage more than once.”

“Huh,” Kara mumbles.  “He’s never been, like… to any of you?”  Intentionally hurtful, she means.

“Just sulky, mostly,” says Lance with a shrug. “He’s not a bad guy, really, you just have to wait for it to blow over.”

“More trouble than it’s worth,” Lorelei sighs dramatically, reaching for a waterbottle and a straw.

 

* * *

 

“All right!  Raina, if we could have you come lay on the rug,” the head photographer calls.

Raina rolls her eyes at her fellow musicians before sauntering over, letting an assistant position her in an appropriately casual fashion and giggling as if she’s ticklish just to fuck with the kid.

“They’re getting us all dressed up in formalwear to go lay on the floor?” Kara asks in a whisper.

“It’s what they do,” Lorelei says.

“Lorelei!” the photographer announces, waving her over.  Her role is apparently to… lay with her head on Raina’s stomach, almost but not quite groping her, and given how she’s smirking, this doesn’t seem like a hardship at all.

Kara and the Angels (all in black dresses of various styles, Jemma’s prim, Skye’s edgy, Bobbi’s avant garde) are positioned next, all on or around the other two women, and then it’s the boys’ turn to take places.

“Fitz,” the photographer says, “if I could just get you laying here next to Jemma?”

Fitz blinks, then does so without complaint. He’s careful not to touch her at all, though, trying to stay a respectful distance.

“Lincoln and Trip, over between Skye and Kara.”

Trip ambles over agreeably, flopping down next to Kara. Lincoln seems more hesitant, settling in on his other side.

“Lance, if you’d come fill in the space next to Bobbi.”

“Beautiful,” Bobbi mutters, rolling her eyes.

Lance makes a loud noise of displeasure. “Is that really necessary?”

The photographer ignores him.  “Werner, right between her and Lorelei.”

Kara makes a face. “Who’s Werner?”

“Me,” says a skinny boy who can’t be more than nineteen. “Werner von Strucker?” He doesn’t sound at all confident about it.

Everyone, whether they admit it or not, makes faces.

“And last, if Ward, you could just get comfortable here between Lorelei and Kara.”

Grant smirks and settles himself with his head on Kara’s stomach. Kara flinches involuntarily, and Skye makes eye contact with her and makes a face that basically means _if he fucks with you I’ll beat him up._

That’s a comfort, anyway.

The cameras start flashing and the photographer keeps yelling things that basically mean “act sexy” without saying it quite so bluntly.  This comes easier to some than others: Lorelei and Raina are deliberately playing it up, pouting and mugging for the cameras; Jemma, Fitz, and Werner all look a bit like lost kittens; Kara doesn’t feel sexy anymore but she damn well knows how to fake it, or at least how to fake confidence, so she’s just trying for that; Skye and Lincoln keep accidentally touching and it’s pissing both of them off, so they’re shooting glares at each other every so often. Surprising no one, Bobbi is pissed off, too, though her glares are getting aimed straight at the camera because she knows that someone will just say she’s smoldering or some bullshit like that, and Lance is pouting because he has to be next to her (luckily, this also comes off as sexy). Trip just finds it all very funny and is grinning.

Grant, meanwhile, reaches for Kara’s hand after the first round of flashes. He’s not hesitant about it at all, although Kara tries to squirm away and make it seem like she’s just rearranging herself.  His only reaction is to try again, grabbing onto it more firmly this time, all the while the same smile pasted on. “Good!” the photographer encourages, nodding approvingly.

“I think we look good together,” murmurs Grant.

Kara makes a face, but only briefly, not so that the camera will catch it.  “I think a lot of girls would,” she mutters instead, “you have that kind of face.”  It’s not meant as a compliment.

Grant frowns just a little, not sure how to take it, but then he’s back to his winning smile.

A few more photos are taken before the photographer shouts, “All right, it’s time for individual shots.  Everyone over here with me.”

“Well, at least we’ll be spared any touching,” Jemma mutters to Skye.

Skye snorts. “Seriously. He kept whacking me with his arm, it was gross.”

“I was afraid Fitz was going to explode if he accidentally brushed me,” Jemma says.  “That wouldn’t have been a very becoming photo.”

“First up,” the photographer calls, “Skye and Lincoln.”

“Are you kidding me,” groans Skye. Lincoln doesn’t look very happy about it either.

The photographer waves them over to a set designed to look like an old-fashioned garden, complete with Rococo tree swing, and Skye immediately plants her ass on it. “Here,” she says to Lincoln, “I’m gonna lean back and hold the swing with my legs and you kneel down and hold onto me.” She drops her voice. “And if you drop me, I’ll kill you in your sleep.”

Lincoln gulps and nods, looking resigned to his fate.

“That’s the most awkward thing I’ve ever seen,” Bobbi calls, grinning.

They take pictures from a few different angles, both Skye and Lincoln pasting on smiles and trying to pretend like they wouldn’t rather be anywhere but here. Raina, smirking, whistles a few times, but the photographer doesn’t seem to notice how ridiculous this all is.

Once they’re done, it’s Fitz and Jemma’s turn, both of them glancing at each other with matching beleaguered expressions. “Ooh, time for the lovebirds,” calls Grant, trying for playful but mostly coming off as obnoxious.

Jemma rolls her eyes.  “Have you been working on your brooding face?” she asks Fitz.

“Not really,” he says honestly. “It’s not really one of those things you think about.”

“Can you try to approximate something?” she asks.  “If you stand behind me and we both make brooding faces, maybe they won’t make us canoodle.”

He snorts. “Alright, I guess that’s the best way to handle it.”

That goes off all right and they very decidedly don't touch. 

Trip and Raina get called up after and, apparently having decided to fuck with the photographer, act as if they're completely into it, staring into each other's eyes and standing with almost no space between them.  They don't talk, they just stare, and it's so intense it's uncomfortable (which, honestly, was exactly her plan).

To absolutely nobody’s surprise Bobbi and Lance are summoned up next, as if to contrast something lovely and still to something absurd.  “Can’t I just go and jump off a bridge and call it even?” Lance moans.

“You’re acting like I’m thrilled about this,” Bobbi snaps.  “Just…”  She waves her hands around.  “Touch me as little as possible, okay?”

Lance sighs melodramatically but finally they manage to arrange themselves so he’s bent over with his head resting on her stomach. “This meet your standards?”

“I don’t even know what you’re doing,” Bobbi says.

“Interesting!” the photographer calls, starting to snap pictures.

“What the hell?” Kara mumbles, giggling.

Grant, noticing her laughing, smirks and says, “I think ours will be much more natural, don’t you?”

“Uh,” Kara replies, raising an eyebrow.  

Just then the photographer announces it’s their turn. “Oh, look at that,” says Grant, “we’re up.”

“Yippee,” Kara sighs.

She winds up leaning over him as he sits making a thoughtful face, and she’s sure she looks completely _over it_ but the photographer is eating it up. As is Grant, who seems delighted she’s touching him. “This is nice,” he murmurs. “Isn’t this nice?”

“It could be worse,” she says flatly.

“I think it’s funny how they’ve made you up to be the innocent one,” he says blithely. “When we both know you’re not really, right?”

Kara’s eyebrow goes up.  “Excuse me?”

“The white dress, the doll makeup...they want you to look like a princess. And you’re very good at playing the part,” he murmurs. “But you and I know better, right? You’re hardly inexperienced.”

It takes all of Kara’s energy not to retch or recoil. “I don’t see what business that is of yours,” she mutters.

“Well, we’re working together and we’re getting paired off,” he replies with a smirk. “It’s clearly my business a little. I mean, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, I like girls who know what they’re doing…”

Just then, the photographer sends them away and calls Lorelei and Werner up, and Kara beelines for where the Angels are sitting, not even wanting to look at Grant anymore.  

“Yikes,” Bobbi murmurs.  “Was he being horrible?  I mean, he was, I’m sure, but was it the horrible I need to punch him for?”

Kara shrugs, laughing shakily.  “It’s fine,” she says.  “It’s not fine in general, but I’m fine.  I’ll punch him myself if I have to.”

Skye nods approvingly. “I haven’t gotten that far, but he’s gotten a few strongly-worded texts from me. Mostly in response to dick pics.”

“ _Ew_ ,” Kara says.  “I’m sorry.”

“I mean, I saved them,” she says, grinning evilly. “I’m waiting for the right time to use them.”

Jemma kisses Skye’s cheek.  “Diabolical genius,” she says fondly.

“I know it,” Skye replies, preening.

“So do you guys know who this Werner kid is?” Kara asks, changing the subject.  “He seems kind of… squirrelly.”

“I’ve never heard of him,” Jemma says, rolling her eyes.

“I googled,” Skye says. “His daddy bought him a recording deal.”

“Of course,” Bobbi snarks.  “But what’s he really going to sing, songs from cartoons?  He looks twelve.”

Skye snorts and replies, “Dunno. I predict he’ll last about five minutes.”

To wit, he’s currently being clutched and pawed at by Lorelei, making her best sex faces as she holds onto him and the swing, and he looks - well, confused.

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Kara says.

 

* * *

 

“So, Jemma,” the reporter doing the interview says, “how long have you and Fitz been _close_?”

She takes a deep breath and tries not to roll her eyes.  Same old stuff.  “We’ve known each other since we were in school,” she says, very openly and obviously taking Skye’s hand.

“Yeah, we’ve been there through lots of…” Fitz pauses, looking baffled as to what to say next. “Important life events,” he finally finishes.

“Oh?” the reporter presses, looking incredibly smug.

“Yes,” says Fitz. “Like when she came out to me.”

“It was the funniest thing,” Jemma says, laughing casually and making direct eye contact with the reporter.  “Everyone in school always used to think we ought to go out, and yet… here I am, happy as can be with my girlfriends…”  She trails off so he can fill in and if he doesn’t, one of said girlfriends can.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Skye says, grinning and leaning over to kiss Jemma’s cheek.

The reporter looks slightly bothered by this, but instead shifts attention to Lincoln.  “I thought there was a spark between you and Skye, Lincoln?”

He shrugs. “I mean, she’s a good-looking girl, I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” He shoots her a lazy grin that’s definitely tending towards nervous.

In response, Skye gives him her fakest sweet smile and says, “Well, I would.”

“Jemma,” the reporter yelps, “did I hear you say girlfriend _s_?”

“You sure did,” Jemma says, grinning even wider than before.

“It’s really a lot less complicated than you might think,” Bobbi drawls, taking Jemma’s other hand.

“I dunno,” chimes in Lance, rolling his eyes, “you’re pretty complicated, Bob.”

“And you’re anything but,” Bobbi retorts cheerfully.

“So you two were married,” the reporter interrupts.  “How is it, still working together?”

“Well, it’s not like we have to record together, thank god,” Bobbi says.

Lance snorts. “Yeah, you’d hate that, wouldn’t you? Cooped up in a tiny room with me all day. Like our first apartment.”

“I just know how stubborn you get, especially under a deadline,” Bobbi replies, trying to keep her tone even.  “And you, stubborn, is not a thing I’d wish on anyone.  He comes up with the stupidest plans to dig himself out of mistakes he made,” she explains to the reporter.

Who can’t help but flinch.  “Huh.  So, Lance, do you… since your ex is…”  The question isn’t even really asked, but there’s one hiding in there somewhere, possibly.

“Sorry, mate? Didn’t catch that.”

“How do you feel about your ex… being…”

“Liking girls too? Nah, I always knew about it. Not my problem anymore, the little ones are stuck with her now.” Lance smirks.

Jemma huffs.  “We’re not that little,” she says, and Skye squeezes her hand gently to let her know it’s not worth fighting about.

The reporter frantically looks out at the rest of the group, skims over Trip and Raina - they don’t have any history, there’s nothing to ask - and over Werner and Lorelei, and settles on asking Grant, “So you and Kara looked pretty comfy in those photos, huh?”

Grant chuckles and drapes his arm over Kara’s shoulders, who stiffens. “You could say that.”

“You _could_ , but it wouldn’t be true,” Kara says, smiling through gritted teeth.

“Matter of opinion,” Grant replies with a shrug.

“You two have worked together a lot since Kara joined the label,” the reporter continues, still mostly talking to Grant.  “It’s pretty safe to say you have chemistry.”

“So does nitroglycerin, but that isn’t a good thing,” Jemma mutters.

“I certainly think so,” says Grant, “but then, I like to think I’m everyone’s type.”

It’s safe to say everyone else rolls their eyes, except maybe Werner, who still just looks startled.

“I’m not into it when guys come on too strong,” Kara says innocently, shrugging out from under Ward’s arm.

“Yeah, heads up to the guys out there, girls don’t like it when you’re annoying and won’t back off,” Skye chimes in.

“Unfortunately, that’s what girls are told they’re _supposed_ to like, persistence,” Raina adds with a beatific smile, “but it’s so _primal_ in the absolute worst way.”

“And believe me,” Lorelei says, “there’s persistence and then there’s being a complete asshole.”

Grant looks affronted. “Hey now, no need to gang up on a guy,” he says, pasting on a smile. “It’s all for laughs.”

“I mean, when I’m interested in a girl, I always make sure she’s into it before I get very far,” Trip says, shrugging. “Or a guy. Making sure they’re cool with the attention. I thought that was just the polite thing.”

“It really is,” Jemma says, beaming appreciatively at him.

“Look, if _Lance_ knows to ask before touching, anyone should,” Bobbi interjects.

Fitz nods. “No one likes surprise touching.”

The reporter just blinks, a bit taken aback by all of that.  “Well.”

“Message received,” says Grant, moving his arm away from Kara.

For a while, the conversation stays on professional things.  The Angels just put out a single, the Lads are working on an album.  Werner doesn’t seem to have any projects upcoming, exactly, but he’s hopeful that he might, Lorelei and Kara are both working on albums, Raina has some multimedia visual album thing she’s working on but she refuses to explain in any detail… it’s all enough to keep the interview afloat for a while.  Skye notices Coulson sneaking into the room at some point and waves as subtly as she can, which earns her a fond smile and a hand gesture that means _stop, you’re working now._

Maybe ten minutes into this, though, Kara notices something is off.  Grant's hand is _definitely_ on her leg, and not the part that her dress is covering.  “Could you not?” she hisses, trying not to make a scene.

He ignores her, and keeps his hand where it is.

“I mean it,” she says, a bit louder.

He glances over and murmurs, “Don’t pretend you don’t like this.”

“Oh, I’m not pretending,” she mutters.

“C’mon, you draped yourself all over me earlier. You were hoping for this.”

“If I didn’t they were going to drape me over you,” Kara says.  “It was fake, Grant.  It was for a stupid photograph.”

“Felt real to me,” he argues. He still hasn’t moved his hand.

“That’s not how it works,” she says, voice rising.  “If we’re not both feeling it, there’s nothing to feel except what you’re projecting like a creep.”

“Aw, c’mon, stop fighting it-”

“I mean it!” Kara yells, standing up in a hurry.  “Stop touching me, stop talking to me like that, stop acting like you’re a jerk who knows _anything_ I want.”

The room goes silent.  The reporter even stops taking notes.

Grantblinks. “Well, alright, you don’t have to be such a bitch about it.” He stands up. “Thank you,” he says to the interviewer. “I believe that’s my cue to leave.” Then he turns and walks out the door.

“Shit,” Kara says, suddenly panicked.

“You did the right thing,” says Skye quickly. “He doesn’t seem to get what ‘no’ means unless you embarrass him publicly.”

“I... I just, I’m sorry,” Kara mumbles.  “That was…”

“It was fucking awesome,” Bobbi says.  “You can print that, by the way.”

 

* * *

 

Kara’s just coming into the office to clear a couple things with Coulson, so she’s not exactly at her meet-the-press best (sweatpants, t-shirt).  This means running into Melinda is not something she’s planning on, but yet, there’s Melinda, reading that disastrous magazine no less.

Maybe if she pretends she didn’t see her this will all go away.

Of course, Melinda notices her, because Melinda notices everything. “So,” she says, nodding to the magazine.

Kara squeaks.  “So,” she repeats.  “Can we just not talk about that?”

“We don’t have to,” says Melinda. “It’s not a bad article, though. The pictures could be better, but considering who you were stuck with…”

“He’s the worst!” Kara exclaims, then immediately looking embarrassed that she yelled.  “He was just so…”

Melinda gives her a sympathetic look. “We can keep not-talking about it if you want.”

“I mean, it’s in there,” Kara says, making a face.  “I kind of blew up.”

“Did you? I didn’t see anything like that.”

Kara furrows her brow.  “I mean, I did, yeah,” she says.  “It’s not… they didn’t print that?”

“Print what?”

“He kept acting like a douche,” Kara sighs.  “Putting his hands all over me, saying all these gross things.  I snapped and he got all huffy and left.”

Melinda grimaces. “Not surprising. Good for you.”

“You think?” Kara asks, sounding a bit needy.  “I felt kind of overdramatic.”

“You weren’t,” Melinda replies with a small smile. “You did good. He needed to be taken down a peg.”

“Does it at least have the part where we all lecture men about how not to treat women?” Kara asks, smiling in return and trying to ignore how fluttery she feels.

“There’s mention of a ‘spirited debate about how to treat women,’” says Melinda, rolling her eyes. “And they quote Trip. I’m guessing heavily edited.”

“Doesn’t mention his sexuality?” Kara guesses.

“It’s only about girls, so no.” Melinda sighs. “Nice to see they still only care about bisexuals if they’re white.”

Kara snorts.  “It was a really weird interview,” she admits.  “But maybe that’s normal?”

“Rarely have I had an interview where I felt completely comfortable, but this one seems particularly odd. Who did these poses?” Melinda smirks. “They’re...interesting choices.”

“Honestly?”  Kara giggles, a bit self-consciously.  “They arranged us for the group shot, then once we got broken down in pairs, it was like… here’s your stage, the photographers clearly wanted sexy, we all sort of just… wound up doing whatever.”  She smirks.  “As evidenced, particularly, by Skye and Bobbi’s photos.”

“Yes, those are the _most_ interesting. You look nice, though.”

Kara’s eyes go wide.  “Uh,” she says.  “Thank you.  I… that’s mostly just the hair and makeup people doing good work, probably.”

“Don’t deflect compliments,” says Melinda, but she’s smiling. “You look good.”

“Thank you,” Kara says again, trying to just leave it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dresses: [Kara](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/givenchy-lace-trim-faux-pearl-embellished-dress/4270754?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=OPTIC%20WHITE), [Lorelei](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/herve-leger-fringe-trim-beaded-gown/4205869?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=BLUSH), [Raina](http://g.nordstromimage.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Large/6/_11522086.jpg), [Jemma](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/st-john-collection-embellished-liquid-crepe-gown/4149620?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=CAVIAR%2F%20BIANCO), [Skye](http://g.nordstromimage.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Large/9/_12440949.jpg), [Bobbi](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/christopher-kane-cold-shoulder-dress/4260220?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=BLACK).
> 
> Photoshoot inspiration: [Skye and Lincoln](http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/8900000/Robert-Pattinson-and-Kristen-Stewart-Vanity-Fair-photoshoot-twilight-series-8916617-640-430.jpg), [Bobbi and Hunter](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/50/ce/87/50ce87314b6c86bf8d594d932b2cb1d9.jpg), [Ward and Kara](http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/8900000/Robert-Pattinson-and-Kristen-Stewart-Vanity-Fair-photoshoot-twilight-series-8916610-1800-1182.jpg), [Fitz and Jemma](http://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/2010/12/48/4/1231/12312738/ea0e5c0ce880e273_22/i/Vanity-fair-2008-Kristen-Stewart-Robert-Pattinson-photo-shoot-Twilight-Zone.jpg), [Trip and Raina](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/66/97/c9/6697c911fa4100fa29fdb4db565f07e8.jpg), [Werner and Lorelei](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3a/87/59/3a875912adcce47fc4c98386cdd16aa6.jpg).


	5. I'm captivated by you, baby, like a firework show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The label sends Melinda and Kara on tour together, and they grow closer.

“Hey,” calls Melinda from where she’s lounging on the tiny couch someone shoved into this tour bus, “you don’t have to hide in your bunk, y’know.”

Kara pokes her head out, sure she’s blushing. “I’m not hiding,” she says. “Just…”

“You’re hiding,” teases Melinda. “I mean, if you want to that’s fine, but you can be out here too.”

“O-okay,” Kara exclaims, scurrying out and then promptly hovering a few feet away.

Melinda smirks and sits up, nodding at the empty seat. “You can sit down, I made room.”

“Thanks,” Kara murmurs. “It’s, uh. It’s a nice bus.”

“It is.” Melinda glances around. “You’re lucky. First time I went on tour, the bus was half this size and ancient.”

“I bet it was an adventure,” Kara says.

“Let’s just say Coulson learned to vet the transportation after that,” chuckles Melinda. “That bus also didn’t have a bathroom.”

“Oh, god,” Kara exclaims. “That’s horrible. I’m sorry.”

Melinda shrugs and says, “Made for some good stories. Like the time I had to duck into a gas station bathroom at three AM to pee. Luckily I looked so bad no one recognized me.”

“Please,” Kara says before she can stop herself. “You couldn’t possibly look bad. Your face is, like…” She trails off. “Your face is a really, really good face. I wish I had your face.”

Melinda laughs a bit. “You’re sweet. But your face is just fine, it’s very nice. You have those big Disney princess eyes that make everyone fall in love with you.”

Kara’s pretty sure her jaw drops. That wasn’t what she was expecting to hear. “Uh,” she says. “Thank… you…”

Mercifully, Melinda changes the subject. “Listen, it’s gonna be pretty crazy once things get going. Always keep your cool. Whatever coping techniques you learned at Disney, whatever you experienced when they had you perform, you’ll need that. Everything is dialed up to eleven.”

“What do you mean, crazy?” Kara asks.

“Things happen so quickly you’ll barely notice they’re going on until they’re done. You won’t know what to do the first few times you get up there to sing. It seems obvious, but you’re going to freeze up. Just lean into it, it does get easier.”

Kara nods. “I think the performing is going to be the easiest part,” she admits.

“Probably,” Melinda agrees. “It’s the closest to what you’re used to. Oh, and I should warn you that you have to be very careful outside your room and private areas. Don’t go anywhere without security. Paparazzi, fans, creeps in general will be hanging around waiting for an opportunity.”

“An opportunity to what?” Kara asks, feeling very naive. “I think the worst I ever had before was a sketchy letter or two, and those always got intercepted.”

“If you’re lucky, snap some pictures or harass you for a photograph,” says Melinda wryly. “But some fans are....pushy. Be friendly, be as personal as you feel comfortable with, but don’t let them try anything.”

“What if I’m not lucky?” Kara squeaks. “So I know what to be prepared for.”

“I’ve had fans try to kiss me, touch me, you name it.” Melinda rolls her eyes. “You know how it is for a woman in this business. And as you already know, they’ll be scrutinizing your romantic life endlessly. Paps caught me making out with a fan once and it was all over the tabloids for two weeks.”

“Eek,” Kara says, immediately feeling stupid for saying that but going with it. “A… it was good making out, though? Like not…” She shrugs. “A fan kissing you and then oh no, rumors?”

Shrugging, Melinda says, “It was alright. He was nice enough. Probably not worth it though, ultimately. It was pretty funny when I was _actually_ dating someone and the media played it off like we were just friends though. And by funny I mean irritating.”

Kara swallows. She notices that “someone” is very specifically not given a gendered pronoun. “Yeah, I bet,” she says, trying to sound normal.

“The phrase ‘gal pals’ was very popular,” adds Melinda with a smirk. “So, you have a bar to clear, at least.”

“What, uh, what bar?” Kara asks, voice faint.

Melinda chuckles and doesn’t answer.

 

* * *

 

Obviously Kara has stayed in nice hotels before, but not nice like this. This is next-level, and she might surreptitiously be snapping pictures of stupid things like the fancy elevator and the signs in elegant cursive. They’re not going on Instagram immediately, but she’s considering it.

She and Melinda are sharing a suite, which kind of surprises her but she’s definitely not going to question it. She’s just going to play it really, really cool.

Her version of cool involves changing into pajamas as soon as they’re in the room, availing herself of complementary overpriced chocolate, and sitting down in the shared living room to watch whatever’s on the Food Network. It’s not a very cool version of cool, but hopefully it works.

And it works just fine - until Melinda waltzes out of the shared bathroom with her hair wrapped in a towel and wearing nothing else.

“Oh shit!” Kara yelps, like the coolest person in the world.

Melinda starts, as if she wasn’t expecting Kara to react like that. “Oh,” she says. “I’m sorry, I always go around like this in hotel rooms. My crew are all used to it, I forgot you wouldn’t know. Should I, ah, go get another towel?”

Kara is blushing, trying very hard not to stare. She actually goes so far as to cover her eyes before she realizes it’s futile and also makes her look even less mature. “No, uh, I,” she stammers, “I think I just got startled. Do you want to, like, see me naked to make up for it?” There’s a pause, wherein she realizes what she just said. “I mean! No, don’t - just ignore that I said that.”

Melinda laughs. “Alright. Look, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Kara.” She goes back into the bathroom and emerges with a towel wrapped around herself. “Better?” she teases.

“Yeah - I mean, you’re gorgeous, I mean - I just wasn’t expecting,” Kara says.

“Sorry,” says Melinda again. “Would wine help you forget?” She nods to the minibar.

Forgetting is really not what she wants to do, but saying that would be too much, so instead Kara nods. “Wine sounds great.”

Nodding, Melinda goes over to pour them both a glass. “Here,” she says, offering one to Kara before sitting down on the couch next to her. “What were you watching before I interrupted?”

“I think there were cupcakes or something,” Kara explains, trying to smile.

“Sounds nice,” says Melinda, sipping her wine. “You don’t mind if I crash, do you?”

“Please,” Kara says.

 

* * *

 

“Kara Lynn!” a voice calls across the room. “Holy shit, it is you!”

Kara cringes. The polite thing to do is accept invitations, but she was really hoping that she’d manage to spend a night at one of Jack Thompson’s terrible parties without actually being located by Jack Thompson. They never really worked together, but being Disney stars together meant they’d at least run in the same crowd.

“Here I am,” she says, smiling as insincerely as possible.

Jack lumbers over, holding a can of beer and grinning in a way that means he’s probably already had multiple drinks. “It’s been what, three, four years? What have you been up to? I mean, your album, obviously, that’s some crazy shit.”

“Crazy,” she echoes. “I’m touring right now, actually.”

“No shit! I mean, I invited you, but I didn’t think you’d actually come. I figured you’d be busy with your new boyfriend, what’s his name...Graham? From that boy band on your label?”

Kara makes a face, she doesn’t even try to hide it. “He’s not my anything,” she says.

“Really? I remember how you used to always have a guy on your arm at the Disney parties.” Jack smirks. “Not to be rude, but we used to bet on who’d be next.”

Kara purses her lips. “You know I wasn’t actually seeing most of those guys?” she says. “I’m sure your agent never pushed you into a date because it was better for you to come off devil-may-care and available, but that doesn’t work for everyone.”

Jack shrugs and replies, “Sure looked like you were. I just figured Gray was another one.”

“I guess I’m just a good actress, then,” she retorts. “And he’s a smarmy ass.”

That makes Jack laugh. “Won’t argue with you there. He’s supposed to be here tonight, anyway.”

“Who is?” asks Melinda, seamlessly inserting herself into the conversation. “Here,” she adds to Kara, handing her a glass of champagne and taking a sip from her own glass.

“Grant,” Kara mutters. “Yippee.”

Melinda curls her lip. “What’s he doing here?”

“I invited him,” says Jack casually. “I thought Kara might like to have her boyfriend or whatever here.”

“He’s not my freaking boyfriend,” Kara hisses.

“You thought wrong,” adds Melinda, grabbing Kara’s hand and tugging her away before Jack can respond.

Kara’s brain short-circuits and all she can think is that she’s actually holding hands with Melinda and people can actually see them, but she doesn’t let herself say anything.

Melinda stops once they’re in another, quieter room, and then she gently lets go of Kara’s hand and says, “Sorry, I thought that was the quickest way to end that conversation.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Kara murmurs, “I needed a rescue. Thanks. That’s actually really, you know. Dashing.” She smiles dopily, spurred on by the champagne.

Melinda laughs. “Interesting word choice. Well, we’re here now, shall we go find something to do?”

Kara shrugs. She’s not going to back down. That would be weird. “Something to do would be good,” she agrees. “Maybe we’ll actually get left alone.”

“Lofty goals,” replies Melinda with a smile. “There’s probably dancing somewhere, if you’re interested.”

“I could dance,” Kara says, feeling very shy. Knocking back the rest of her champagne will help that, she figures.

They end up in a room that has a decent amount of people dancing, but not enough that Kara feels self-conscious. They’re not too close together, the dancers, but it’s also not so brightly lit that people are easily recognizable. It’s a good compromise, probably, and Kara starts to move side to side, incredibly awkward but trying.

“You haven’t danced much, have you?” says Melinda, not unkindly.

“Not without prerehearsed choreography,” Kara admits.

“Here,” says Melinda, and she steps closer and grabs Kara’s hips. “Try this.” She starts to sway them both to the beat of the music.

“Oh,” Kara squeaks. Just when she thinks things couldn’t get wilder, something like this has to happen. Not that she minds. “This is okay, yeah.”

“I’m not making you uncomfortable, am I?”

Kara shakes her head. “Just… I’m mostly used to being at these things with, like Jack was saying. Whatever boy toy du jour I got shoved at.”

“Well, I hope I’m better company than most of them,” Melinda teases.

“All of them,” Kara corrects immediately, blushing.

“You’re sweet,” Melinda says. “Feel like you’ve got the idea, maybe?”

Kara nods. “I think so,” she says. “This? Also dashing.”

“Is that the champagne talking?” asks Melinda with a smirk.

“Kind of,” Kara says.

“Cute.” Melinda moves one hand off of Kara’s hips so she can grab Kara’s hand and twirl herself.

“Cute?” Kara repeats, her eyes wide. She feels _tingly_ everywhere Melinda touches her.

“Yes, cute. You’ve barely had a glass, but it’s getting to you already. It’s charming.”

“Thank you,” Kara whispers, ducking her head. “I feel sort of silly.”

“Why?”

“Well, I’m a lightweight, apparently,” Kara explains, feeling a bit breathless. “And you’re just… all effortless and amazing.”

Melinda snorts fondly. “I have more of a tolerance, that’s all.”

“I don’t just mean the alcohol,” Kara mumbles.

“Well, thank you,” says Melinda. “But you shouldn’t sell yourself short either. Remember, you got here on your own talent.”

“Professionally, yeah,” Kara says. “But it’s just like… is there _anything_ you aren’t good at?”

“I’ve killed every plant I’ve ever been given,” replies Melinda. “I have a black thumb.”

Kara bursts out laughing. “Seriously?”

Melinda grins and nods. “Can’t garden to save my life.”

“That’s so random,” Kara snickers. “And sort of endearing, actually.”

“Well, my mom doesn’t think so,” quips Melinda. “But thanks.”

“I’m sure she’s not bothered by the fact that you can just hire someone to garden for you if you really want,” Kara points out.

“No,” Melinda says with a chuckle. “But she finds it relaxing. Swears up and down they switched babies at the hospital, sometimes.”

“What about your dad?” Kara asks before she can think better of it.

“He finds this whole music thing kind of ridiculous, but he’s proud of me. He likes golfing and silence, mostly.”

“I don’t know how he couldn’t be proud of you,” Kara says eagerly. “You kick ass.”

Melinda laughs. “Thanks. What about your parents, what are they like?”

“I don’t really talk to either of them much anymore,” Kara admits. “They’re both really private, and Dad has been out of the picture for a while as far as Mom’s concerned anyway. But they’re glad for me. I think mostly they’re just confused that I’m their daughter sometimes.”

“It is weird,” says Melinda with a laugh. “This is a weird business. Still, I don’t know how they wouldn’t be proud of you.”

“Gosh, flatterer,” Kara teases, because it’s easier.

“You deserve it,” Melinda replies easily.

“I need another drink,” Kara says suddenly, because it’s the first thing out of her mouth and she’s overwhelmed with everything.

Melinda smiles. “I’ll get it.” She gives Kara’s hand a squeeze before she lets go of her and leaves.

Kara blinks. She didn’t mean that to be what happened, of course she didn’t, but there Melinda goes being _dashing_ again. Or something like that. She backs toward the wall slowly, like she’s just letting everything sink in.

A few minutes later, Melinda returns with a plastic cup. “Smirnoff Ice,” she says. “I thought you could do with something a little tamer, for now.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Kara murmurs, laughing nervously. “You didn’t have to, so, you know, thanks.”

“Yes I did,” says Melinda. “I’m here to make sure you don’t make a fool of yourself.” She winks.

“I think I should be offended,” Kara jokes.

Melinda chuckles and replies, “Honestly, I wish I’d had someone to walk me through this when I started. You’re lucky.”

“Yeah, I am,” Kara whispers, daring to meet Melinda’s eyes. “You’re really…”

“Really?” Melinda raises an eyebrow.

Kara shakes her head, suddenly very shy. “You know,” she mumbles.

Smirking, Melinda asks, “I think we should get some air, how about it?”

“Air,” Kara repeats. “That sounds like a good idea.” She nods seriously.

Melinda gently takes her hand and leads her out of the room, and they wander for a bit before heading upstairs, which seems to be quieter. Melinda finds a room that leads out onto a balcony and nods at it. “Outside?”

“Outside,” Kara agrees. “Because that’s where the air is.”

Melinda chuckles and opens the door for her. “Go on,” she says with a smirk.

Kara does, immediately settling on the floor and staring straight up at the sky. “This is really peaceful,” she declares.

Carefully, Melinda lowers herself to the floor next to Kara (her dress is shorter) and follows Kara’s gaze. “It is,” she agrees. “Honestly, I prefer this sort of thing to parties most of the time.”

“Me too, I think,” Kara says. “Down there it’s fun, but it can be so _weird_.”

“No kidding,” snorts Melinda. “I wish I could tell you it gets less weird the longer you’re in the business, but it doesn’t.”

“Honestly? I don’t think it could get any weirder than Disney, though,” Kara sighs. “Kind of this weird thing where it’s like… nobody’s allowed to grow up, entirely?’

Melinda nods. “I can imagine. No wonder so many of them go off the rails once they get out.”

“Some of them do while they’re still _in_ ,” Kara says. “Which, sometimes you don’t hear about it if you’re not _there_ , but…” She drops her voice, grinning wildly. “Did you know Jack slept with Whitney Frost when she was still with Calvin Chadwick?”

“I’m vaguely familiar with those names,” teases Melinda. “Disney it-couple of a few years ago, right?”

Kara nods. “Both kind of assholes, if you ask me,” she says. “All three, honestly.”

“I’m shocked.” Melinda rolls her eyes.

“I saw them, if you’re wondering,” Kara declares. “So I know it happened and it’s not just a rumor. It wasn’t pretty.”

Melinda’s in the middle of sipping her drink, and she spits some of it out. “You walked in on them?”

Kara nods again, more seriously. “Unfortunately, yeah.”

“Did they see you?”

“If they did it didn’t bother them enough to stop,” Kara says.

Melinda laughs. “I shouldn’t be laughing, but it’s funny.”

“I never told anyone before,” Kara admits. “I mean, I think someone else must have found out, because after a while they weren’t allowed in the same room or something, but still.”

“Huh,” says Melinda, taking another sip of her drink. “So. Why tell me, now?”

Kara blushes and stares at her own drink, shrugging.

“Well, I’m honored you wanted to.”

“Good,” Kara mumbles. “There seems to be less like, outright cheating at our label, anyway.”

Melinda shrugs. “Overall, but we’re not exactly short on romantic drama either.”

“I don’t know,” Kara says, “I mean, the Angels seem to have it pretty well together. And Fitz and Trip are so cute.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean the artists. I meant behind the scene,” replies Melinda with a roll of her eyes. “You might have heard about Coulson’s...paramour.”

“The magazine one?”

“Yes.” Melinda sighs. “Rosalind Price. They have...an arrangement.”

“Like, a romantic one, right?” Kara asks.

Melinda snorts. “Close enough. Phil’s head over heels for her. I don’t like her much, you might have guessed.”

“Why not?” Kara presses. “I mean, I’ve never met her, just heard of her.”

“She’s very…” Melinda pauses, head tilted. “She relies on double-talk a lot, and manipulation. I don’t like that.”

“Oh,“ Kara says, not noticing that she’s starting to shiver. “Yeah, you’re not like that at all.”

“Thank you, I think.” Chuckling, Melinda adds, “Plus, every time she’s around Phil gets ridiculous.”

“I must only know him a little, because I can’t imagine that,” Kara says with a nervous laugh.

“Oh, you’ll see it soon enough. She bosses him around, and he likes it. Makes him useless at work, though.”

“Oh, I see,” Kara murmurs, although she really doesn’t. She’s starting to rub her arms to keep warm, but she doesn’t show any signs of moving.

Melinda frowns. “You’re cold. Let’s go inside.”

“I’m fine,” Kara mumbles, but she instinctively offers Melinda her hand.

Taking it, Melinda chuckles. “You sound sleepy.”

“I’m starting to feel the alcohol,” Kara admits.

“Well, the hotel’s too far to walk from here. I might be able to get a cab, but god only knows.” Melinda purses her lips. “Then again, Thompson’s got so many rooms up here he’s bound to not notice if we just...borrow one.”

Kara giggles. “I’m sure we wouldn’t be the only ones.”

“No,” agrees Melinda, “and we wouldn’t even be using it for the usual reason.” She smirks.

Kara squeaks. “Inside sounds smart,” she says.

“Alright.” Melinda gets to her feet, then offers a hand. “You okay to get up?”

“Yeah,” Kara says, hop-stumbling to her feet with a pleased smile.

“Good. Let’s find you a bed.” Melinda leads her off, careful not to let her tip over. It takes them a few minutes, but they manage to find a room that’s out of the way and seems to be rarely used. “I doubt you’ll be comfortable sleeping in that,” Melinda says, meaning her dress. “Do you want help getting it off?”

“Probably,” Kara giggles. “I don’t want to wreck it.”

Melinda gently turns her around and unzips the dress. She helps Kara ease it off of her body, then, once she’s out of it, Melinda says, “ _Well_ then.”

“Oops,” Kara says, glancing down at her significantly racier than usual lingerie. “Everything else was dirty?”

That makes Melinda laugh. “I feel like you’re lying, but it’s endearing. You’re not a very good liar.”

Kara shrugs. “I could be better if I tried,” she announces, and she flops down on the bed. “Join me?”

“Alright,” says Melinda, looking amused. She carefully lays down next to Kara, not touching her, but fairly close. Kara is just drunk enough to take that closeness as a sign to snuggle up, though, and she’s passed out before Melinda can say anything.

They stay like this until the next morning, when Kara’s phone buzzing angrily rouses them.


	6. baby, I know places we won't be found and they'll be chasing their tails tryin' to track us down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors swirl while Kara and Melinda continue their tour.

“What the hell?” Kara mumbles, reaching for her phone.

_> >hey so paps got pictures of whatever u were doin last night_

_> >[winky face with tongue emoji] [peach emoji] [tongue emoji] [thumbs up emoji]_

_> >but seriously uh sorry?_

Kara blinks at her phone, then against possibly her better judgment, she nudges Melinda. “Uh,” she says.

Melinda, on her back, grunts. “Whazzat?” she mumbles.

Wordlessly, Kara hands Melinda her phone (making sure it’s just showing the image Skye texted).

Melinda blinks, rubs at her eyes a moment, then squints at the screen. “Are those...pictures of us?”

“Apparently,” Kara says. “It… I mean, we’re… clothes.” She makes a face and nods down at what (little) they’re wearing.

“Hm.” Melinda stares at it. “From the angle, looks like someone was in the doorway taking pictures.”

“Shit!” Kara yelps. “Who would have done a crappy thing like that?”

Melinda laughs, as if surprised. “I like your language choices.”

“You’re so calm about this,” Kara murmurs, shocked. “You’re… we’re in… and you’re?”

“It’s not the first time there’s been a _scandalous_ picture of me,” teases Melinda. “It won’t be the last.”

Kara’s phone goes off again, and she opens it to yet another text from Skye.

_> >”TROUBLE IN KARA-DISE”_

_> >a lot of these use “gal pals”_

_> >wat happened??_

Melinda snorts. “That one’s almost clever. Kara-dise.”

“I, I mean, almost,” Kara stammers, “but I don’t know what trouble…”

“You and Ward, maybe?” says Melinda, rolling her eyes. “No one told the tabloids you broke up. Or were never dating.”

Kara makes a face. “I wasn’t aware we even were dating,” she says. “According to them. I thought it was all innuendo.”

“Welcome to being a woman in entertainment,” Melinda sighs. “Stand next to a man, and you’re probably dating. You have to be pretty extreme with a woman to make them notice.” Then she laughs. “I wasn’t even trying this time.”

“Trying what?” Kara asks, blinking.

“Oh, I didn’t mean...I’m sorry, that sounds bad.” Melinda laughs again. “Nothing to do with you, just...I don’t see the need to be public about my preferences, but if the media’s going to make a fuss about my relationships, I’d rather they make just as much a fuss about the women as the men. But in the past I’ve had to do ridiculous things with my girlfriends for them to comment at all, and now...”

Kara blushes, pawing at her face. “And now…”

“Well, now I’m mixed up in something that’s not even real.” Melinda smirks. “It’s funny.”

“Yeah.” Kara lets out a breath, laughing nervously. Why does that make her feel so strange? _Not real_ , that is. “Funny.”

“You okay?” Melinda asks gently. “I forget you’re new to all this, you’re not used to the absurdity.”

“I feel really…” Kara trails off, looking for the right word. What she comes up with is, “Gross. I feel gross.” Not exactly what she was going for, but it’s what happened.

“I’m sorry.” Melinda rolls over onto her side to face Kara and gently runs a hand through her hair. “Want me to find you some water or something? I can definitely call a cab.”

“Water sounds good,” Kara admits, nodding and trying not to show how much that affects her. “Getting out of here sounds better.”

“Alright,” says Melinda, voice gentle again. “You wait here, I’ll do that.” She sits up, then slips out of the bed and fumbles around for her dress.

Kara whimpers, nods, and promptly curls into a ball on her side. “I’m sorry,” she says.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Melinda says, zipping up enough of her dress to be decent and then going back over to put a hand on Kara’s back. “This happens to everyone. Let me take care of you.”

“Why are you so nice?” Kara moans.

“Because we’re friends, and tour mates, and you need help,” replies Melinda.

 _Friends_ makes something ache in Kara’s chest too, but it’s not something she wants to mention. Instead she mumbles, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Melinda says, then leaves the room in search of water.

Kara’s phone goes off again, and this time she groans. “What,” she mumbles at it.

_> >u ok??? u alive???_

Just Skye, still, so at least it’s not too scary.

_> >I’m alive, just headachey and confused._

>> _:( melinda still there w/ u?_

>> _went to go get water, but yeah._

_> >what happened? u wanna talk about it?_

_> >nothing!!! I mean we’re friends, she said so, but that’s it._

_> >aw!!! get it gurl [winky face with tongue emoji]_

“Here’s some water,” calls Melinda quietly, coming back into the room.

Kara promptly makes a funny strangled noise and hides her phone. “Thanks,” she says, trying to play it cool.

“I called a cab, it should be here in about ten minutes,” Melinda continues, sitting down next to her and offering the glass. “There are a few people still passed out downstairs. I haven’t seen Thompson at all.”

Kara accepts the water, sitting up gingerly. “I’m so embarrassed,” she mumbles.

“Don’t be,” says Melinda, reaching to rub Kara’s back. “Like I said, it happens to everyone.”

“Someone must have sneaked in to take those pictures, though,” Kara exclaims.

Melinda frowns. “You’re right. Which is...concerning.”

“I mean, who would have done a _shitty_ thing like that?” Kara asks, making sure to correct her earlier word usage. “It’s nasty and also mean.”

“Honestly? Probably someone looking to make a quick buck.” Sighing, Melinda adds, “One of the other guests probably wandered up here, saw us, took a picture, and sold it to the highest bidder.”

“Ugh,” Kara says. “I hate people.”

“I’m not too fond of them myself,” says Melinda wryly, “but look at it this way. Everyone will forget about this in a week or two, and we’ve got to get back for rehearsal. You gonna be ready to be onstage with me?”

“I felt ready until you asked me that,” Kara admits.

Melinda hums. “You don’t have to if you’re not up for it, you know that, right?”

“I mean, objectively, yeah,” Kara says. “I’m not exactly great at saying ‘no.’ But in this case I don’t think I’m going to have to. I’m just… nervous.”

“You can let me know before the show starts if you want to skip the duet,” Melinda says, running her hand down Kara’s back again. “I won’t be offended or anything.”

Kara shivers, she can’t help it. “I’ll be fine, I promise,” she murmurs. “I just want to take a step back from this whole… photo mess. Then it won’t be an issue.”

“I get it,” replies Melinda. “Let’s go see if our cab’s here. You doing okay?”

“I think angry canceled out hungover, at least,” Kara jokes, hurriedly dressing.

Melinda laughs and says, “Well, that’s something, anyway.”

 

* * *

 

“Thank you!” calls Melinda as the cheers die down. “Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed that.”

The reasonable thing to say in this situation is that wow, it’s been fun watching Melinda from the side of the stage tonight, she doesn’t do that most of the time. The truth is that she does that most of the time, so tonight has been thrilling but not in any particular unusual way, except for now she’s also both anticipating and slightly fearing being called up to join in. This is next-level. This is sharing stage space with a - beautiful, talented, remarkably funny - icon, and she’s terrified she’s going to fuck it up.

“...and you guys know I rarely do duets, but I wanna call up someone who’s remarkably talented to help me with this one. Kara, c’mon out!”

Kara is sure she’s blushing as she heads onstage, much more because of Melinda’s words than the crowd’s polite applause, but she plays it off with a sheepish little smile-and-wave as she joins Melinda on stage. “Hey,” she says, half to the crowd and half to her.

Melinda grins at her and grabs her hand, then says to the crowd, “So this is a little out of the norm for us, but I felt it was appropriate. Maybe you’ve got someone like this.” She takes a deep breath and then launches into “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

Kara has rehearsed this so many times she could do it in her sleep, which is a good thing, because otherwise that comment would have thrown her and hard. Instead, she just sings, tries to look comfortable, and mostly tries to look like she’s not avoiding eye contact with Melinda. This sort of backfires when Melinda shoots what Kara swears is an intensely flirty look at her when she sings “hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone” right before the last chorus. Then Melinda squeezes her hand once it’s over, which is probably because she’s so overloaded she doesn’t entirely realize they’re done and the crowd is once again applauding.

Yeah. This is a thing.

“Thanks, hon,” purrs Melinda, gently letting her hand go. “Give her another hand!” Kara waves, probably frantically, and dashes off the stage, just praying she didn’t mess it up too bad.

 

* * *

 

“So,” Melinda says, once they’re both back in the hotel room, clad in star-patterned pajamas (Melinda) and a pink sleep set featuring Marie from _The Aristocats_ (Kara).

“So…?” Kara repeats, feeling her heart speed up.

“You did well,” says Melinda, smiling. “No need to be shy.”

Kara blinks rapidly, now feeling five years old. “I just… I did?” she manages, although that’s not quite what she intended.

“Yeah.” Melinda nods. “You did. You sounded great. Thanks for doing that with me, I enjoyed it. I hope you did too?”

“I did,” Kara agrees. “It was really… I mean, it was kind of surreal, but nice surreal.”

“Good.” Melinda’s quiet a moment, then she adds, “I tried to find something more upbeat, but it turns out it’s hard to find a duet that isn’t depressing or from the 70s.”

Kara giggles. “Besides, most duets are, y’know, kind of forced boy-girl,” she says.

“True,” says Melinda with a snort. “I thought this one might be a little much, but…”

“I liked it,” Kara murmurs. “I, it worked, I think.”

“I’m glad.” Melinda looks at her for a minute. “Your hair’s nice. Do you want me to braid it? Since we’re already halfway to a cliche sleepover scene.”

Self-consciously, Kara runs a hand over her hair, then nods. “That’d be, that’d be nice,” she says. “Wine?”

Chuckling, Melinda gets up to go over to the minibar. “I’ll get us both a glass.”

 

* * *

 

In the increasingly-long list of things that seem too good to be true, she, Kara Lynn (Palamas), is actually honest-to-goodness on her way to Melinda May’s house. One of her houses. This is a normal thing for friends to do, probably, but she’s still getting used to the fact that they’re friends and trying to wrap her head around the fact that she’s gotten some clues that go significantly beyond that, so she’s a little bit starstruck.

“It’s a nice house,” says Melinda with a smirk and a shrug. “You’ve probably seen nicer.”

“Well, they didn’t matter as much,” Kara replies before she realizes how weird that sounds.

Melinda laughs. “You’re sweet. Not sure how you’re measuring that, but I’m flattered, I think.”

“Matter as much to me,” Kara says, then immediately feeling like she wants to crawl into a hole and die.

“Well, I don’t bring just anyone to my house either, you know,” says Melinda, smiling. “Not much further now.”

“I’m also flattered,” Kara says immediately. “A lot.”

“Good,” says Melinda, and they fall silent until they reach a long driveway that leads to Melinda’s house. It’s pretty far off the road, surrounded by grass and trees and a lake not too far from the house.

“Wow,” Kara murmurs. “This is really…”

Melinda smiles. “The property itself is the impressive part. The house is fairly modest.” The car stops in front of said house, and she grabs her purse and unlocks her door to get out.

“It’s really nice, though!” Kara exclaims, stepping out with a look of what can probably be described as childish wonderment. “It must be nice having a getaway like this.”

“It is. I don’t get to come here as much as I’d like, but when I do, it’s very relaxing.” Melinda goes to get her bag out of the trunk. “C’mon inside, you can meet Yángguāng.”

“Who?” Kara asks, head tilted.

“My corn snake,” says Melinda, as if this is a perfectly normal answer. “Oh, do snakes bother you? I won’t take her out around you if they do.”

“I’ve actually never really been around snakes,” Kara admits. “Well, when they weren’t in an enclosed space. I don’t know how I feel about them, honestly.”

“Well, I’ll hold her and you can see how you feel. If she freaks you out I’ll put her back in her tank.” Melinda unlocks the door and gestures for Kara to follow her inside.

“Okay,” Kara says, carrying her bags in and glancing around. It’s not exactly a mansion, but it’s still, in her opinion, nicer than modest by a lot.

Melinda heads into the bathroom first, washes her hands, then heads into another nearby room. She comes back a minute later with an orange-and-cream snake wrapped around her hands. “This is Yángguāng,” she says. “You can touch her if you want, she’s gentle. But if you’re going to, you should wash your hands first.”

Kara hangs back, just watching at first. “What does her name mean?” she asks.

“Sunshine. It’s Cantonese.” Melinda laughs. “A little silly, maybe, but I thought it was appropriate.”

“That’s really sweet,” Kara declares. “I like it.”

“Thanks.” Melinda lets the snake wind lazily around for a minute. “Jasper texted me that he fed her last week, so you won’t have to watch that. Lucky you.”

Kara bites her lip contemplatively. “How often, uh, does that happen?”

“Ten to fourteen days,” replies Melinda, almost absently, as she watches Yángguāng. “And you’re not supposed to handle them more than once a week or so. They’re pretty easy pets, as long as you’re not squeamish.”

“I guess that’s good, if you can’t be here all the time,” Kara agrees.

Melinda nods. “Jasper takes care of things around here for me, including her. I’d like to bring her to LA, but I’m not sure how she’d handle the abrupt change in environment. Or,” she adds with a wry smile, “how people would handle her.”

“I bet it’d be fine, with some adjusting,” Kara says eagerly. “The people handling her part, that is.” As if to prove, she approaches and holds a finger out to very tentatively touch the snake.

Yángguāng’s tongue flicks out slowly, and she seems to look at Kara curiously. “Good,” says Melinda. “Although, if you could wash your hands, that would be good. That way you won’t accidentally transfer germs. Always wash before and after handling or touching a snake.”

“Oh!” Kara exclaims. “Yeah, of course. Sink is…?”

“In there.” Melinda nods toward the bathroom.

Kara dashes in, washes up, then hurries back, smiling eagerly. “Uh, is there… a good way to touch her?”

“Not near the head or end of her tail, and make sure she can see what you’re doing and where you’re standing. Just petting her a little bit is okay. Don’t make sudden movements, it might frighten her. The way you were moving earlier was good.”

“Okay,” Kara says, reaching forward carefully and murmuring, “Hey, there.”

“Good,” repeats Melinda, smiling. “How about you, any pets? Or any pets you want?”

“I’m not sure,” Kara says honestly. “It was never really a feasible thing, with the being out on the job and all. I wouldn’t mind getting something to cuddle with if it made sense, though.”

Melinda nods. “Makes sense. I could see you with a kitten or something, that’d be cute.”

Kara ducks her head, grinning. “Cute, huh?” she echoes.

“Yes, cute,” replies Melinda, smirking. “Alright, I’ll put Yángguāng back in her tank and then you’d probably like to relax for a while. I was thinking ordering in for dinner? My treat, of course.”

“Sounds good,” Kara says, nodding. “You’re a good hostess.”

“I try,” Melinda says. “Wait here a second, then I’ll show you to the guest bedroom.”

 

* * *

 

As the guest, Kara has control of the remote, which is how they end up watching back-to-back episodes of _Cutthroat Kitchen_. Food shows are safe, is her rationale. And it’s kind of dawning on her that she has, well, very personal reasons for wanting this to go well.

“How are you feeling?” Melinda asks. “Now that the tour’s over, I mean.”

“Honestly?” Kara laughs. “Kind of relieved and kind of stunned.”

Melinda chuckles. “Makes sense. You might get used to it, or not. It’s definitely an experience.”

“I like performing,” Kara muses, “but all of the… sidenotes. It’s a lot to handle.”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, you have to deal with them.” Melinda shrugs. “Seemed like you didn’t have too much trouble this time, though. No crazy fans. Not too many paparazzi, except for that one thing, and honestly it’s been a week and I haven’t been seeing too much about it online.”

“Too much, maybe, but anything is unnecessary,” Kara says. “I haven’t gone looking, but I’d bet money there’s someone on their moral high horse about it somewhere.”

Snorting, Melinda replies, “Oh, I’m sure. But they’re going to get upset no matter what you do, so don’t waste your energy worrying about it. If it helps,” she adds with a grin, “someone wrote a very complimentary article about our duet on Autostraddle.”

Shit. Kara’s definitely blushing again. She does that constantly. She should really work on it. “I didn’t see that,” she manages.

“I mean, it’s not exactly a top news source,” teases Melinda. “But I checked it on a whim. The commenters loved it. You’re gaining quite the queer fanbase.”

“Really?” Kara chuckles, staring at her empty glass of wine as she adds, “I guess that’s a good thing. It’d be kind of awkward if I wasn’t adored by my own kind.”

Melinda smiles. “A little, yes. I hope you haven’t felt like I’ve been too aggressive about my bisexuality, but I kind of got the sense you wouldn’t care. I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable, though.”

Kara laughs, if a little bit self-consciously. “I mean, I think it’s cool,” she says. “I’m sorry if I’ve made it seem like I’m uncomfortable. I’m not. I’m just, you know.” She lets it hang, because she doesn’t actually know the best way to finish that.

“You’re fine,” Melinda reassures her. “I’m cagey about my personal life in general, but I’m not hiding. It’s taken me a while to be confident enough to do that, though.”

“Which I envy,” Kara sighs. “I’m just… I think I get scared too easy.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to say anything publicly before you’re ready.” Melinda nudges her with her shoulder and adds, “At least you know there’ll be fans to welcome you if you ever feel ready.”

“Yeah,” Kara murmurs. “Also, thanks.”

“Of course,” Melinda replies. “Like I said before, I wish someone had been there to tell me how to do all this when I was starting out.”

“Well, yeah, but… still, it’s been really, well.” Kara wrinkles her nose. “Nice is an understatement.”

“I want to be nice to you,” says Melinda, then moves a little closer to Kara and puts her head on her shoulder. “This okay?”

“Yeah,” Kara says. “This is… it’s good. Yeah.”

Melinda makes a content noise in her throat and then is quiet, watching the show.

It really is impressive, how good Melinda is at apparently ignoring Kara’s thudding heart. She’s kind of freaking out, in fact, so that Melinda is pretending it’s all normal is really cool. Still, Kara feels like she has to break the silence to keep it normal, so on a commercial she asks, “You wanna change it?”

“No, this is fine,” says Melinda, sounding a little sleepy. “You can change it if you want, though. I’m not picky.”

“I didn’t have anything else in mind,” Kara admits. “I just wanted to check.”

“Thanks. I’m good, though.”

Kara nods. She’s not entirely sure what to say now, which means this thrilling conversational detour was a failure and she’s back to square awkward. Awesome.

After a little while Melinda says sleepily, “Would you mind if I grabbed a pillow and passed out on your lap? Sorry, it’s been a long day.”

“No, no, that’s, that’d be okay,” Kara exclaims.

“Alright,” murmurs Melinda, leaning away to grab one of the pillows from the other end of her couch and setting it on Kara’s lap before nestling in. “Feel free to wake me when you want to go to bed.”

“Okay,” Kara squeaks. She’s pretty sure she’s just going to pass out right where she’s sitting because she doesn’t want to move, but admitting that would be too goofy.

Melinda closes her eyes, makes a soft sleepy noise, and within a few minutes she’s snoring quietly.

Well. The cool thing to do would be to keep watching this absurd cooking show until she in fact started to fall asleep herself. The thing she actually ends up doing is reaching for her phone very gently and texting Skye.

_> >she is asleep on me_

It’s not five minutes before Skye replies.

_> >OMG!!!!!! what happened???_

_> >we’re at her place watching TV and she asked if she could sleep on me and now she’s sleeping on me_

_> >IS SHE GRABBING UR BOOB_  
_> >i’m kidding she’s probably not grabbing ur boob_  
 _ >>right???_

_> >she’s grabbing the pillow that’s in my lap while she’s sleeping._

_> >awwww still cute! u should pet her hair_

_> >what_

_> >i bet it’s soft  
>>u know u want to_

_> >that would be weird though_

_> >weirder than her sleeping on ur lap?_

_> >yes she asked if she could do that I did not ask if I could pet her hair_

_> >i mean i guess  
>>u don’t have to if u don’t want_

_> >I do want but I don’t want it to be weird_

_> >how much weirder can this get_

Kara looks from her phone to Melinda in some combination of terror and frustration. The answer is it could get a lot weirder, in ways she doesn’t want to contemplate, but…

_> >so how should I pet her hair_

_> >idk u ever pet a cat??? like that I guess  
>>u never pet a girl’s hair before???? i’m sorry that sux_

_> >not in a romance way  
>> this is scary ok_

_> > aw <3 u got this!_

Kara takes a deep breath. Very gently, she runs her hand down Melinda’s hair, letting it idle on her shoulder. Melinda makes a quiet noise and shifts a bit, then settles in again.

_> >did u do it or do i have to pep talk u some more_

_> >I did it she made a noise_

_> >oh damn get it_   
_ >>i mean not rly but_   
_ >>u kno what i mean_

_> >I guess? I’m freaking out_

_> >aww ur ok!!! she likes u  
>>i saw the video of ur duet and she was giving u looks_

_> >I like, officially outed myself earlier to her._

_> >nice!!! good for u  
>>what did she do?_

_> >she was just really… nice about it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](https://images7.alphacoders.com/386/386003.jpg) is Yángguāng, careful, that's a pretty big picture of a snake if you have a phobia.
> 
> We've never actually had snakes so all the information is from google, so let us know if we got something egregiously wrong.


	7. and time can heal but this won't, so if you're coming my way, just don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An announcement shocks everyone, and the fallout is immediate and dramatic.

_> >hey kara um i found a couple articles u mite wanna look at_  
>>wardbye.htm  
>>yikes.htm

**_LAD-LESS: GRANT WARD ANNOUNCES HE’S LEAVING  
Lads and a Pixie now short one member_ **

_Grant Ward’s representative has announced that he is leaving Lads and a Pixie to begin his solo career, effective immediately._

_“You know the saying about one door closing and another opening,” Ward writes in his official statement. “I’m looking forward to the opportunities that await me in the future, and my growth as an artist.” The other members of Lads and a Pixie could not be reached for comment, nor have they responded to the announcement on social media._

_The boy band, which has been active since their debut in 2012, has attracted a large and devout fanbase, and their singles frequently debut in the top ten. Their latest album,_ Soar _, went gold a mere two weeks after release, and the first single from that album, “Chase,” remained at number one for five consecutive weeks._

**_TAKEN FOR GRANT-ED?  
Did Grant Ward’s romantic troubles contribute to his leaving LAAP?_ **

_We know that Grant Ward has announced he’s leaving Lads and a Pixie, and we’re just as broken-hearted as you are about it! But we can’t help but wonder if maybe this isn’t just about Grant’s career. Could his lackluster love life be part of the reason he decided to strike out on his own?_

_Grant’s been romantically linked to fellow SHIELD Records artist Kara Lynn, and they were getting pretty cozy in our April feature story...but sources close to the couple say that there could be trouble on the horizon. Kara’s wrapping up a tour to promote her debut album,_ Springtime _, and she may have been getting a little TOO cozy with one of her other labelmates at a party. She also hasn’t mentioned him on Twitter or at any of her live shows, but that’s not unusual - she keeps things well under wraps. But we think maybe a supportive tweet following this huge news might be appropriate?_

_We can’t believe such a cute couple might be on the rocks, but maybe now some other lucky girl has a chance (call us, Grant!)._

 

* * *

 

“I’m going to die,” Kara moans, dropping her face in her hands.

Melinda glances over, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“Look,” Kara says, sliding her phone across the seat.

Melinda skims the articles, then shakes her head. “Bastard.”

“When did he and I confirm our relationship?” Kara exclaims. “When did any of this happen?”

“You don’t have to confirm or deny anything for the press to jump on it like hyenas,” sighs Melinda. “And you don’t have to do anything at all for them to blame you, if you’re a woman.”

“I hate all of them,” Kara says darkly. “Assholes.”

Melinda casually reaches over and grabs Kara’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’m sorry,” she says. “You don’t deserve any of this.”

Kara bites her lip. “I just wanted to make some stupid pop albums,” she mumbles.

“You still can,” says Melinda, who hasn’t let go of Kara’s hand. “Honestly, the best response to shitty gossip like that is to ignore it and keep doing whatever you were already doing. Or,” she adds with a mischievous grin, “go find some cute actress to date for a little while, get them talking about something else entirely.”

“Actress?” Kara squeaks. “Would it… would it have to be?”

“Well, I guess not, it’s up to you,” replies Melinda with a smile.

“I mean, I think…” Kara tries to smile, too, though she can’t look Melinda in the eye. “I think it’d be easier to meet a cute singer.”

“That’s true.” Melinda smirks. “Anyone you have in mind? If it’s not too forward of me to ask.”

“Well, all the Angels are pretty well taken,” Kara hums.

Melinda raises her eyebrow but doesn’t respond to that.

 

* * *

 

 **CHASE ME GRANT** @pixieprincess  
@KaraLynn if she doesn’t know how lucky she is plenty of us do #StandWithWard

 **grant ward’s gf** @wardsgf  
ward could literally kill a puppy and i would still love him #standwithward

 **Mrs. Grant Ward** @grantwards  
I’m sure his new album will sound great and anyone who thinks otherwise is just jealous #StandWithWard

 **i will not calm down** @s0aring  
that miley cyrus bitch wasn’t good enough for him anyway @KaraLynn #StandWithWard

 **Becky Ward** @becky99  
She’s not even cute, she’s plain as fuck, he can do way better @KaraLynn #StandWithWard

 **Allysyn** @allysyn  
I will always #StandWithWard

 **Skye** @AngelSkye  
U assholes in the #StandWithWard tag need 2 cool it because @KaraLynn is super awesome and talented! My non-asshole followers send her luv pls

 **Jemma** @AngelJemma  
I mean it when I say @KaraLynn is one of my favorite labelmates.

 **Bobbi** @AngelBobbi  
seriously I will fight anyone who pulls this shit with @KaraLynn she’s great.

 **Grant Ward** @GrantWard  
Feeling kind of lonely. Thanks for the support, everybody in the #StandWithWard tag, it’s much appreciated.

 **i will not calm down** @s0aring  
.@GrantWard i can’t believe that bitch i’m never listening to her again #BoycottKaraLynn

 **CHASE ME GRANT** @pixieprincess  
.@GrantWard you’re so much better than that #BoycottKaraLynn

 **Tiffany** @grants_gurl  
#BoycottKaraLynn bc she broke his heart @KaraLynn

 **Skye** @AngelSkye  
OK #StandWithWard MOTHERFERS LISTEN UP. U r bein huge dicks 2 my friend so cut that shit out. I will fight u all & I will win #StandWithKara

 **Trip** @ATriplett  
#StandWithKara because she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Don’t believe the hate, @KaraLynn is great. Love you, girl.

 **Lance Hunter** @LanceHunter  
Hey #WardsWankers shut your pie holes, you wouldn’t know talent or beauty if you ran smack into it #StandWithKara

 

* * *

 

“...and for the weekend’s top story, Sam’s got a good old Twitter Smackdown!”

“Darn right I do, Eric. Well, we all know that Grant Ward’s gone and left Lads and a Pixie, and probably broken about a thousand teenage hearts in the process. But this weekend Twitter exploded with fans scorning Kara Lynn, Grant’s lady friend, and expressing their support for Grant. There were two separate hashtags you might have seen trending, #StandWithWard and #BoycottKaraLynn.”

“You gotta hear some of these tweets, it’s unbelievable!”

“‘That Miley Cyrus BEEP wasn’t good enough for him anyway.’ ‘She’s not even cute, she’s plain as BEEP, he can do better.’ ‘Ward could literally kill a puppy and I would still love him.’”

“Wow! Not sure I agree with any of those, but especially that last one.”

“Oh please, Eric, we all know you kiss your Grant Ward poster every morning before you leave your bedroom.”

“Hey, don’t go giving away my secrets on the air!”

“Ha ha, but anyway, so the Rainbow Angels and the rest of the Lads got in on the fight too. Skye tweeted this: ‘Okay #StandWithWard mothereffers, listen up. You are bein huge dicks to my friend so cut that shit out. I will fight you all and I will win.” She closed with her own hashtag, #StandWithKara, and some of the Lads were using it too.”

“Interesting that they’d side with this girl over the guy they’ve been working with for like four years, huh?”

“Yeah, but I expect this isn’t the last we’ll hear of this story. Anyway, you’re listening to MRVL 101.2, this is Brother Sam and Brother Eric with your morning word. Here’s Melinda May’s new one for you.”

 

* * *

 

8.08.2016

**he don’t know what’s waiting here this time.**

Guys, I’m not really sure how to say this. I’m not sure it really even matters, but I just need to get it off my chest.

You know I’ve been listening to Lads and a Pixie forever, right? I mean, I talk about them enough, it’s not exactly a secret. And you remember that concert I went to last spring, the one where I sorta managed to talk my way backstage in the name of pop journalism (one of my riskier moves, I admit, but it seemed important)?

Well, I may have done more than just talk to the band backstage.

So okay, like I said after the concert, Lance was all cool, but he kept his distance and that’s probably best. I mean, he’s seriously too old for me (no offense, but it’s not really a secret he’s the oldest one in the group). And Lincoln was kind of talking to some other people, which - okay, that’s cool. I’m not offended or anything! He sort of waved, anyway. He was just busy. Fitz and Trip were really sweet - I mean, they’re just sweet people, I think?

But mostly it was Grant I talked to. And I mean, we _talked._ He was really charming, really suave, really… well, remember the creepy-ass wolf song in _Into the Woods_ where Johnny Depp was a pedophile? It honestly sounds like that if I go back and play the tape I took. I didn’t really notice some of it at the time, because I was kind of awestruck, but he actually gave me his number and got mine in return, and he… he _texted_ me.

Teenage fangirl’s dream, right? Texting with that marble-cut sex god?

Not quite.

It didn’t take long for his texting to sway definitely more toward the sexting - and I’m not gonna lie, mostly I only know about sexting from _Glee_ repeats, I’ve never done it before or anything. I didn’t really respond at first, because I figured - well, I should play it cool, maybe ask some of my friends for advice? But then - god, this is so gross - he sent me a picture of his junk.

And then another one.

And there were smiley faces. Winking smiley faces, even.

I wish I’d thought to screenshot it for evidence, but I was so disgusted I deleted it immediately and blocked his number. And I’ve been trying not to think about it for months but it started bugging me - that this famous guy was sending sexts to a high school senior? EW. Also, I don’t really think he was all that committed to Kara Lynn, if they were even dating - why would he have been so chill and chatty with me? Why would he have been bothering to hit on me? I mean, you guys know me, I’m pretty much just _me_ , I’m not all fancy and cool like Kara Lynn.

Although, actually, as I’m writing this… maybe that’s why he was hitting on me. I’m _not_ , which means I was actually gonna be receptive to his crap, potentially.

Ugh. Sorry, guys, I just had to get it out.

♥ Callie

 

* * *

 

 **Allysyn** @allysyn  
Don’t believe everything you read https://t.co/xmDvFww8xK #StandWithWard

 **Becky Ward** @becky99  
So we all agree that Callie girl is totally lying right? I mean c’mon, why would he do something like that #StandWithWard

 **grant ward’s gf** @wardsgf  
IF HE SENT ME DICK PICS I WOULD KEEP THEM FOREVER I DON’T KNOW WHY SHE’S WHINING ABOUT IT #STANDWITHWARD

 **Skye** @AngelSkye  
I believe U Callie bc Ward sent me dick pix 2, when I 1st joined the Angels. Here’s proof 4 U (V NSFW): <http://tinyurl.com/wardsdick>

**Skye** @AngelSkye  
I saved those a year ago cuz I knew they wld come in handy. I got stories out the ass, Ward was a HUGE creep 2 me 4 months

 **Skye** @AngelSkye  
Bonus: here’s BTS video from the Cosmo shoot of Kara telling him to f*** off. #StandWithKara <http://tinyurl.com/badasskara>

**Jemma** @AngelJemma  
Not mauling that boy is one of my greatest accomplishments. Love you @AngelSkye and also @KaraLynn, #StandWithKara

 **Trip** @ATriplett  
Ok y’all know I don’t get into drama that much, but I’m gonna be honest with you here. Grant liked using the n-word a little too much...

 **Trip** @ATriplett  
I’m pretty chill, but that pissed me off. I’d tell him to knock it off and he’d laugh and say “we’re friends, it’s ok for me to use it” Nope

 **Trip** @ATriplett  
FYI tweeting the word at me when you try to argue with me isn’t doing anything to strengthen your argument, it just gets you blocked.

 **Fitz** @JustFitz  
@ATriplett is right, Grant would do that pretty often. He also liked calling us all gay and f**s, even Lincoln and Hunter. #StandWithKara

 **Fitz** @JustFitz  
I think he thought it was funny, but it wasn’t. Why is being gay a joke again? That joke’s gone right over my head. #StandWithKara

 **not the president** @LincolnC  
I can confirm everything @ATriplett and @JustFitz are saying about Grant. Sorry to upset our fans, but I’m not sorry to see him go.

 **Lance Hunter** @LanceHunter

Hey #WardsWankers stop calling my mates names and LISTEN to them for a minute, they’re telling the truth, he was bad news #StandWithKara

 **moonboners** @ghostgirl24  
this whole attacking @KaraLynn is bullshit, she didn’t even do anything. you Grant fans need to fuck off. #StandWithKara

 **Anna** @Pandorica  
I’m going to fight every single Grant fan and I will win #StandWithKara

 **the little gay queen** @divatits

kind of surprised it took this long to #StandWithKara she’s fucking cool

 

* * *

 

**loreleithealluring** may every wine night be as blissfully man-free as this one @rainarose @karalynn @jsimmons @bobbiplease @mynameisskye

 **karalynn** it was nice having a night off from everything :)

 **rainarose** we do what we have to to keep sane (& also you should really thank @melindamay for that cabernet sauvignon she recommended)

 **mynameisskye** BEST DRINKING GAME EVER

 **loreleithealluring** watching you all drink so little and have so much fun was adorable.

 **bobbiplease** adorable until you have to herd it home afterward. :P

 **jsimmons** excuse me there was no herding!!

 **bobbiplease** there was totally herding.

 **melindamay** what drinking game was this?

 **karalynn** tell you later, it was pretty funny.

 

* * *

 

 **Grant Ward** @GrantWard  
There are others at SHIELD who are just as cavalier with their personal life. Isn’t that right, @thelorelei? <http://tinyurl.com/jd83d8>

**Lorelei** @thelorelei  
Yes @GrantWard, Balm (2013) was rated R for nudity. Yes, that nudity was mine. No, I am not ashamed.

 **Lorelei** @thelorelei  
Oh, and @GrantWard, it’s not “personal life” if you can find it in two minutes on Google.

 **Grant Ward** @GrantWard  
@thelorelei arguably, that makes it worse. If I sent the pictures, they were to individuals. Anyone could pay $10 to see yours.

 **Lorelei** @thelorelei  
@GrantWard it was an art film, dumbass. Consensually shot and viewed.

 **Skye** @AngelSkye  
@GrantWard not 2 butt in but I would B shocked if U had seen more of the film than the tit shots. It’s a little over ur head @thelorelei

 **Grant Ward** @GrantWard  
@AngelSkye we all know you have an appreciation for high art. And breasts. Your girlfriends know you watch porn? @AngelJemma @AngelBobbi

 **Bobbi** @AngelBobbi  
@GrantWard porn =/= art with nakedness; our relationship = none of your business

 **Jemma** @AngelJemma  
@GrantWard I like your assumption we didn’t all watch that (or other “naughty” films) together.

 **Jemma** @AngelJemma  
@GrantWard also it’s a decent film and @thelorelei has nothing to be ashamed of she did well.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
Ok @GrantWard I’ve had enough of this. I’ve been trying to stay calm, but I can’t do it anymore.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
@GrantWard first you try to creep on me in worse and worse ways, refusing to take no for an answer.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
@GrantWard then you sell the press the lie that I would ever date you.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
@GrantWard THEN it turns out you’ve been acting like a pervert and an asshole to literally everyone you meet.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
@GrantWard and if that wasn’t enough you try to drag everyone else down with you.

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
@GrantWard it stops today. I don’t want to hear or see this shit ever again. Any of it.

 **Melinda May** @melindamay  
#StandWithKara

 

* * *

 

>> _So what’s all that business on Twitter about?_

_> >god you saw that? I’m embarrassed._

_> >Well, it was publicly posted, but you don’t need to be embarrassed. I’m glad you stood up to him. He’s an asshole._

_> >I mean, yeah, but I wasn’t expecting some babies’ feud to catch your attention, Melinda. _

_> >but thank you, he is._

_> >You’re my friend. I like to keep up with what you’re doing._

_> >I hope he doesn’t bother you again._

_> >I hope too. I could also say I hope a lot of other things to do with him, but that would be uncharitable._

_> >Hah! But not unjustified. Are you doing okay?_

_> >yeah, I mean I’m mostly just upset. I was trying to do what you said and keep cool but it just got too hard._

_> >I think in that case, getting angry was the only thing that was going to make him stop. You handled it about as well as you could._

_> >does that stuff ever go away?_

_> >like, the angry randoms and everything._

_> >Afraid not. That’s partially why I’m not on twitter much. You learn to block and ignore._

_> >ha, fair. ALSO that tweet was uh, it was really nice, thank you._

_> >You’re welcome. I thought it was important._

_> >You know I don’t tweet much, but I wanted to show support._

_> >well it was sweet. it really meant a lot to me._

_> >Let me know if you need anything else, okay?_

_> >of course._


	8. you take my hand and drag me head first, fearless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In creating a visual album, Raina enlists the help of her labelmates. It turns out to be a story of beauty queens, pushy mafia guys, and misandry.

**“Goddess Song”**

“So like...what the fuck does this have to do with anything?” Skye asks, as one of the hairdressers fusses with her.

“What the fuck does what have to do?” Raina asks innocently, sipping her latte.

Skye gestures vaguely, at the makeshift hairdressing and makeup stations and the small areas blocked off and dressed as sets scattered in various rooms around Victoria’s enormous house. “ _This_. All this. It’s a weird place to shoot a music video.”

“Video album,” Raina corrects with a smile. “We’re telling a story. We needed ambiance. And we can fake most of what we need somewhere in here.”

Rolling her eyes, Skye sits back in her chair and stops moving (to the relief of the hairdresser). “Whatever. As long as you don’t expect me to do more than fiddle with stuff when you’re filming my section.”

“Your character fiddles, it’s all right,” Raina shrugs. “We have to establish these things so we’re not just playing ourselves.”

“Beating things up definitely isn’t just me playing myself or anything,” Bobbi chimes in.

“We needed a fighting one and I know you actually do enough MMA stuff to pull it off,” Raina says plainly. “Variety.”

“How are you getting away with making this?” Jemma asks.

“Channing Tatum,” Raina says, and she doesn’t explain.

Kara and Melinda are behind some screens, dressing. Melinda, pulling on a pair of jodhpurs, snorts. “Funny how Raina just assumes I know things about horsemanship.”

“Are you sure Raina didn’t do her research?” Kara teases. “I mean, she seems to be pretty good at figuring… stuff.”

Melinda smirks. “If she did, it wasn’t very thorough. I haven’t been near a horse since I was a teenager. Music doesn’t exactly leave much time for that kind of recreation.”

“I bet that’s still closer than most of us have gotten,” Kara points out.

“True. It can be fun, though. You never have?”

“Once at a kids’ party, in a circle,” Kara admits. “That was really it.”

Melinda laughs, not unkindly. “That’s not really riding. I’d love to take you sometime, if you want. I still miss it, and I’m sure we could find someplace that would be discreet.”

“I’d like that,” Kara murmurs. “You’ll have to be patient with me, but…”

“Of course,” says Melinda reassuringly. “It’s not a skill you pick up immediately. But it can be a fun couple of hours even for totally inexperienced riders. You’d be fine, I’m sure.”

“Thanks,” Kara replies. “You think Raina has me holding the camera as a metaphor?”

“For what?”

“I’m kind of the shy one,” Kara points out. “I mean, you know. Watching more than doing, at least yet. I’m timid.”

“I think that’s harsh,” says Melinda. “You’re cautious, but you want to make sure you have a good sense of what’s going on before you involve yourself in a situation. I think that’s smart. You’re observant and clever.”

“I’m trying, at least,” Kara murmurs, ducking her head.

Melinda smiles at her. “I think you’re doing fine.”

Kara returns the smile, then very quickly says, “This video album thing… kinda different.”

“It certainly is,” replies Melinda with a smirk. “Not that I’d expect much different from Raina. You’re okay with some of the stuff that happens later, right? I wouldn’t want it to be uncomfortable for you.”

“It won’t be,” Kara promises. “I mean, it… makes sense. For character arcs and… stuff.”

Melinda nods. “Well, let me know if you change your mind, and I’m sure we can change it.”

“Hey, let’s get started pretty soon,” Raina calls. “Doesn’t matter what order we shoot it in, this first song is all going to be clips with the track laid over it.”

“Do I look okay?” Kara asks, wide-eyed.

“Yeah, of course,” says Melinda. “It’s a cute dress. You look cute. How about me?” She’s smirking, to show she’s mostly kidding.

“Um,” Kara exclaims. “Really good.”

Under Raina’s direction, the women spend the next few hours shooting scenes for the montage. These are supposed to be establishing moments for the characters: Raina’s, labeled in the script as an “artistic dilettante,” works on a mediocre painting and then gets bored and paints her fingernails; Lorelei, the “socialite,” lounges outside with a drink and carries on imaginary conversations; Skye tinkers with some spare parts as if she’s actually intending it to be a machine of some kind; Jemma plays the piano (something she is capable of doing) and writes music (which, quite honestly, is something she should not do, at least not at such an intense instrumental level as she’s pretending); Bobbi mostly just goes through a workout routine; Kara photographs scenery and looks wistful; and Melinda coaxes one of Victoria’s horses through her paces in one of the paddocks.

 

* * *

 

**“False Tuxedo”**

“We’re supposed to be wearing _what_?” Lance yelps.

“Suits,” Raina says patiently. “Not in the first part. In the first part you’ll just be in civilian clothes. But when you’re actually revealed to be in the mafia, the suits uphold the aesthetic.”

“Pinstripe suits, though?” Fitz asks, looking extremely doubtful. “It’s so…” He pauses, trying to think of a way to say “absurd” kindly.

“Lots of men wear suits with pinstripes,” Raina says.

Lincoln snorts. “But they don’t all look like they came right out of a cartoon.”

“With very little dialogue, we have to be a little obvious sometimes,” Raina shrugs. “Or rather, your characters aren’t subtle so your suits aren’t either.”

Trip snickers. “Sorry, y’all.” He’s wearing a much less ridiculous outfit, just a T-shirt and jeans. He’s to be the beauty queens’ assistant, which doesn’t require any particular outfit.

Fitz pouts and says, “Promise not to laugh when I’m actually wearing it?”

“Promise,” Trip says. “At least at you. No promises about the rest of you,” he teases.

Skye holds up her phone. “I make _no_ such promises.”

Making a face at her, Fitz sulks some more.

“Hey, at least you don’t have to wear a vest,” grumbles Lincoln. “Why am I always the one in a vest?”

“You’re the pretty one,” Raina says beatifically.

He hadn’t been expecting that answer, and all he can do is reply “Uh, thanks” with a confused expression.

“Where’s Coulson, anyway?” Hunter asks. “I’m supposed to be his driver or something, right?”

Raina nods.

“Why is he even in this?” Bobbi asks. “I mean, he’s not exactly a public figure.”

“He wouldn’t let me hire Channing Tatum,” Raina replies.

“I told you, it wasn’t at all practical or cost-effective,” sighs Coulson as he comes over, dressed in an even more absurd mafia boss outfit. “Hello, everyone. Shall we get started?”

Similar montage scenes are shot, then. As promised, Hunter drives Coulson around (never showing Coulson’s face, per Raina’s promise); Lincoln lounges shirtless by a swimming pool; Fitz, to his great chagrin, pretends to be having a fashion photo shoot. Then, “after the dramatic bridge” as Raina explains, come the second set of scenes: Hunter beating someone up, Lincoln shooting someone, Fitz hacking into something, the three of them coming together with drinks and smirks on their faces.

 

* * *

 

**“Harold”**

“So,” Mack says, eyebrow raised, “the whole story of this song is that the girl is too gay for this Harold guy?”

“Basically,” Raina says. “But she’s not in-your-face gay if you’re not looking for gay that isn’t the most stereotypical, so it takes him a while to catch on.” She smiles widely.

“You know, _that_ kind of guy,” Bobbi chimes in, grinning.

“Oh, I know the kind,” says Mack, returning her grin. “Just not sure I can manage to play him convincingly.”

“Well, it can’t be one of the other guys who’s already in the whole thing, and blah blah Channing Tatum blah blah too much money,” Raina declares. “Just pretend you’re you-know-who.”

Mack laughs. “Alright, I think I can do that. Lemme know if I’m too much for you, Jemma.”

Jemma, who was assigned the role of Harold’s would-be paramour by virtue of the fact that she wasn’t going to be specifically paired off later and also by virtue of the fact that she is really quite gay but she doesn’t present particularly butch, nods. “I will,” she says. “But it’s all acting, I think it’ll be fine. We know the spirit in which it’s intended.”

“And,” chimes in Skye, “we know if you tried anything for real I’d beat your ass.”

“Sure, sure,” says Mack, looking amused. “I know it. Don’t worry, I’m the opposite of interested.”

“So,” Raina says grandly. “First scene, Jemma and Skye on a fake lunch date. Mack, you’ll be nearby observing.”

“That sounds like a soft way of saying ‘stalking.’”

“Not yet,” Raina chirps. “This time it’s a coincidence.”

“That’s suspicious,” says Mack, but he shrugs and heads for his mark.

Jemma and Skye, or Jemma and Bobbi, or Jemma and Skye and Bobbi, or Jemma and the whole lot of women, go through a series of dates that _could_ be just platonic but most likely aren’t, all while Mack observes. Occasionally he attempts to engage her in conversation, during which she is friendly but non-responsive.

This is the first time Raina addresses the camera, although she’s only singing softly and going to dub in her vocals later, for ease. She plays the part of the interested observer in this number, commenting on her pageant friend’s unlucky situation, which ends with a flourish as Jemma kisses both of her girlfriends while Mack watches and then shrugs.

“Why did you call it ‘Harold’?” Coulson asks as they prepare to move on to the next song. “Seems like kind of a random name.”

Raina shrugs mysteriously.

 

* * *

 

**“Five Dollar Woman”**

“Why are they even here?” Skye asks, nodding at the Lads. “I mean, I I’m totally fine with it, I just don’t get it.”

“We need villains, and sweet-talking mafia boys could invent an excuse to be at a beauty pageant luncheon,” Raina says.

“Really?” Jemma asks doubtfully.

“Financiers, probably,” Raina shrugs. “The point is, there they are in their obvious suits and here we are in our prim little dresses and little do they know, they’ve picked the wrong beauty queens to fuck with.”

Melinda snorts. “Makes as much sense as any of this, I suppose.”

“Let’s be real,” Raina says. “This is a satirical revenge fantasy about destroying toxic masculinity and legitimizing queer femininity. It doesn’t need to be particularly realistic.”

“Yeah, if it was, Lincoln wouldn’t be trying to hit on _me_ ,” Skye points out, making a face.

“I don’t know about that,” Bobbi mutters, smirking.

“Lance definitely wouldn’t be trying to hit on me,” Kara frowns.

Melinda looks concerned. “Still okay?” she asks Kara, quietly so that no one else will hear.

“Yeah,” Kara says. “It’s just gonna be awkward.”

Nodding, Melinda replies, “Hunter’s okay, he won’t make it too weird. And I’ll be here too.”

Kara could swear she feels her heart flip over. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“So!” Raina calls. “Let’s set for the first sequence. The boys make good with pageant mistress Melinda, hoping to curry favor.”

All three of the Lads make faces, and Melinda doesn’t exactly look thrilled either, but they get to their places and film the scene a couple times without issue. Then it’s onto vignettes where our heroines converse, oblivious to the extras around them but occasionally interrupted by men.

Fitz, doing his very best to look tough and suave (and not succeeding well at either) taps Lorelei on the shoulder and tugs her away from the group. Or about two feet away, at least. “Yes?” she asks, in-character and out loud since it’ll be covered with music later.

“Noser Sneed,” he says, trying to look more confident than he sounds. “I think you’re...you’re really something.”

“Something?” Lorelei repeats, trying not to laugh (she’s better at it than he seems to be). “And what something is that?”

“Beautiful?” It sounds more like a question.

She puts a hand on her hip. “I bet you say that to all the girls,” she hums appraisingly.

Offscreen, Jemma nudges Skye and snickers.

“Whose idea was it to pair the femme fatale up with the gay guy?” mutters Skye, grinning.

“The same person who decided to make him an underwear model,” Bobbi smirks.

Kara laughs, just a little. “Hey, uh, while I’m thinking about it, do you have any tips?” she asks. “Not to bring up the thing that happened when you were young and naive, but if I have to pretend to flirt with the guy…”

Bobbi rolls her eyes, but without malice. “Trust me, he’s easy,” she says.

A few minutes later, they’re ready for Kara and Lance. Lance ambles over to her and winks. “Hey there, love,” he says, and it’s almost convincing.

“Hey,” she replies, glad she can get away with fidgeting with her hair.

“You’re looking nice tonight. Whoever you’re going home to is a lucky man.”

“I’m not going home to anyone,” Kara stammers.

He raises an eyebrow cartoonishly. “That’s hard to believe, pretty thing like yourself.”

“I mean, I don’t meet that many people,” she replies.

“Well, you’ve met me. I’m John Blood.” Lance offers her his hand.

“Hi,” Kara murmurs, taking his hand. “I’m, uh, L...acey, uh, Antonis.” She really should have prepared a name beforehand, but oh well.

Lance lifts her hand up to kiss the back of it and says, “Lovely name. So where are you from, Lacey?” He steps closer and rests his hand on her arm.

“Uh,” Kara says.

Then Melinda comes in on her other side to put her arm around Kara, glaring at Lance. “Excuse me,” she says breezily, “but I need to talk to her for a moment.” She tugs her out of Lance’s grip and away. “Sorry,” she mutters once they’ve walked off camera. “Hope that was okay. You looked a little lost.”

“Yeah,” Kara nods. “Improv has never been my thing.”

Melinda smirks. “I could tell. But you did fine.” She’s still holding onto Kara, and she seems to realize it and drops her arm. “Whoops, excuse me.”

“You’re fine,” Kara whispers, feeling her cheeks heat up.

Meanwhile, Skye and Lincoln are looking at each other with what the camera is probably registering as sexual tension, but what’s actually (at least in Skye’s case) distaste. “So, Clarence,” she’s saying. “What do you do?”

“Little of this, little of that,” he says with a shrug. “I like guns.”

Skye curls her lip. She knows it’s just the character talking, but still. “Well, that’s a choice,” she replies.

“Just something I play around with in my spare time,” he says. “How about you, Wendy?”

“I invent things,” she says, tone conveying her boredom with the conversation. “Like excuses to leave. Bye!” And she turns to go without another word, leaving him puzzled.

 

* * *

 

**“Hospitality Led Me Astray”**

This scene is meant to involve the rejected male characters going to a club to interact with random women and alleviate their frustrations. Mostly it just involves all of them looking deeply uncomfortable while they pretend to be interested in the extras.

“Perfect,” Raina keeps calling. “More of that!”

Lance gives her a withering look. “This is humiliating.”

“Exactly,” Lorelei murmurs to the other women, smirking.

The script calls for them to get in an altercation with a random guy at the club who gets territorial about his girlfriend, and it seems the label brought Werner in to fill this role. Werner looks as confused and miserable as the rest of them. “Um, hi?” he says awkwardly. “I guess I’m supposed to try to beat you guys up?”

“Or something,” Lincoln says doubtfully.

“Really lean into it,” Raina coaxes. “You’re all awful!” Playfully, she makes a growling tiger sort of face.

“Oh, thanks very much,” mutters Lance. “That’s motivating talk, that is.”

Eventually they manage to get some reasonable footage of a fight, although Lance and Lincoln have to seriously pull their punches so as not to hurt Werner accidentally. Then they film the scene where they drag him outside to finish him off, and Isabelle witnesses. (Victoria’s one condition to letting Raina film at her house was that Isabelle would have a reasonably-sized role.)

Isabelle does her best to look appropriately horrified and snaps some pictures on her phone, but right after the scene ends she starts snickering. “I’m not much of an actress either,” she says quietly to Victoria, “but I feel like I’d be more convincing than that.”

“Luckily, this isn’t going to be up for any Academy Awards,” Victoria snarks.

Isabelle snorts and grabs Victoria’s hand. “Well, there are worse ways to spend a day.”

“I wish I could share your confidence,” Victoria says, but she traces her thumb over the back of Isabelle’s hand fondly.

 

* * *

 

**“Nice Time”**

The lyrics of this song are outrageously vague - not a gendered pronoun to be found, more references to flowers than people, so standard Raina stuff really - which means, of course, that the entire video, some of which she addresses the camera for and some of which is action that underlays, is really close to being a softcore lesbian orgy. At what’s meant to be a party on the grounds of, possibly, the hotel where they’re staying (it doesn’t really matter), the women are all sitting around with champagne, candlelit and stargazing. The Angels gradually drift off together, at first talking, soon kissing - no acting there - and after a respectable interval Raina climbs in Lorelei’s lap and starts making out with her.

Kara and Melinda are the last ones left at the table, talking quite intimately, and at what’s going to be the climactic moment of the song, Melinda leans in close and whispers, “Is this okay? If I kiss you?”

“Yeah,” Kara squeaks, thankful nobody will hear her voice in the video.

So Melinda does, gentle and careful. Kara hums, shuts her eyes, prays she’s not being too schoolgirl about this whole thing, and after a moment lets the hand across the table from Melinda’s actually move in to touch.

Melinda pulls back after a moment. “Was that okay?” she asks, a little teasingly. “I know acting kisses are weird sometimes.”

Kara shakes her head. “It was nice,” she says. “Promise.”

 

* * *

 

**“Complete and Utter Revenge”**

Isabelle’s also in this song, in order to tell the beauty queens that their would-be suitors are bad news. She meets the group and shows them the pictures, saying, “I think they’re in the mafia,” which is honestly a pretty big leap in logic, but nothing much makes sense in this story anyway.

The beauty queens all nod, as if this makes perfect sense. “So what do we do?” Jemma asks.

“Get ready, and get armed,” Isabelle says. “I can teach you how to fight.”

“I can have Tyler get some supplies,” Melinda says, pulling out her phone. She means Trip, but it doesn’t really matter that much since he’s only in this scene.

“Where do we start?” Kara asks eagerly.

“Come with me,” Isabelle says, leading them offscreen.

They shoot a montage of Isabelle teaching each of them some basic fighting moves, mainly in the ballroom since that’s the biggest room available. They’re all doing their best, but Lorelei isn’t well-suited to this at all, and Jemma tries and mainly just flails around. “You’re okay,” murmurs Skye, grabbing Jemma’s hand and squeezing it during a lull.

“Thank you,” Jemma mumbles, pushing hair out of her face. “I’m not the badass. It’s all right.”

Melinda, who is probably the best of all of them, helps Skye and Kara with some kicks. “You want to extend your leg a little more,” she says, gently pulling Kara’s leg up at the angle she means. “Like this.”

Kara can’t help it, she leans into Melinda as they work. “Like this?”

“Yeah, that’s good. Try it again.”

Kara glances up and sees Skye watching them, a shit-eating grin on her face. “Something funny?” she asks under her breath.

“Nah,” says Skye, and doesn’t comment further, but she winks at Kara when Melinda’s not looking.

In the second half of the video, their assistant (Trip) brings them weaponized gear to use on the mafia boys - mascara knives, knives and guns hidden in special high heels, garters to hide more guns in, and so on. Kara’s eyebrow raises at that last - it’s a little sexy for what she’s used to, after all.

Melinda notices, and says, “It’ll be fine. You’ll look good. You always do.”

“Thank you,” Kara mumbles.

The next thing that Isabelle shows them is how to use these weapons (or “weapons,” since of course they’re fake). Melinda turns out to be surprisingly capable with a fake gun, so she also helps.

“Here,” she says, leaning over Kara to help her with her stance, “bend your knees a little, like this.” She gently adjusts her posture as needed.

“I feel ridiculous,” Kara murmurs, although next to them Bobbi and Jemma are similarly arranged, so it’s nothing unusual.

“It can look a little ridiculous,” Melinda agrees, smirking, “but it’s a safety thing. You’re doing pretty well.”

“What about me?” calls Skye. She’s grinning like she knows exactly what she’s doing.

“You’re doing well too,” says Melinda, very carefully keeping her face neutral.

“I’m glad this actually looks legitimate,” Raina says cheerfully.

 

* * *

 

**“Basic Party”**

“So this one is to beat it home how dumb the boys are,” Raina announces. “Technically the song isn’t about boys _per se_ but it totally is. Pre-pageant party is a go!”

This party takes place by the pool, which is semi-disguised with floating candles to serve as more of an art piece than anything else. Extras are swarming (more than Raina honestly thought they were going to pay for, which is sort of cool) and the boys in their suits are trying their very hardest not to break.

“Do you want us to actually be drinking this alcohol or just pretending?” Jemma asks Raina.

“Up to you,” Raina says, which means she thinks it would be funnier if they actually drank.

Jemma silently resolves not to actually drink.

Skye shrugs and tips her glass back. “Hey, we’re not paying for it, I’m gonna.”

“Should we be, y’know, doing what we’ve been doing this whole time?” Kara asks. She means, clearly given the way she’s blushing, the girl-girl stuff.

“I mean, if you think it would further the plot,” Raina hums.

Kara glances at Melinda. “You should be trying to supervise and I can be, maybe, hovering,” she suggests.

“That makes sense,” Melinda says, starting to walk around the pool and looking as if she’s paying attention to things.

“Boys,” Raina calls, “do something ridiculous.”

The three of them stare at each other for a moment before Lance shrugs and starts to follow Melinda and Kara. “Hey,” he says to Kara, “how’ve you been?”

“All right,” Kara says, glancing sideways at Melinda. “Just getting ready for the pageant.”

“And still looking lovely, I see. It’ll be nice to see you up on that stage.”

“Thank you,” Kara mumbles. “You’ll be watching from…?”

“We’ve got a special box,” he says with a wink. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Well isn’t that nice for you,” Melinda says, frowning and pulling Kara closer to her. “I hate to interrupt, but I’ve just remembered we have an important meeting. Goodbye.” She grabs Kara’s hand and pulls her away.

“Thanks, I think,” Kara says, smiling shyly.

“I know it’s just acting, but he’s laying it on pretty thick. I’m not a fan,” Melinda says. “You still doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Kara promises.

 

* * *

 

**“A Certain Kind of Lady”**

Skye fake-stabs Lincoln with her heel, enjoying it a little too much. “Take _that!_ ” she yelps.

“Mafia, biatch!” Fitz screams as he tries to fake-stab Lorelei in the gut. She ducks out of the way easily, ripping her dress as she does, and hurries “backstage” for a blunt object.

“We’ll never be yours!” Jemma screams, just as obviously.

Lance, who has a gun, points it at Kara, but before he can do anything Melinda “shoots” her gun and hits the squib in his jacket. He yelps and reacts to the squib bursting, falling down.

As per the script, Kara gasps. “Should we call for help?” she asks.

Melinda comes to stand next to her, putting her hand on Kara’s shoulder protectively. “He’ll be fine,” she says, nodding at Lincoln and Fitz, who retreat from their own fights to drag Lance out. “Are you alright?”

“I am,” Kara promises, and before she can think twice she leans to kiss Melinda’s cheek. “Thank you.”

Melinda smiles and squeezes her shoulder fondly. “You’re welcome.” Then she turns to the others. “Are the rest of you alright?”

“I’m fine,” says Skye, looking over at Jemma and Bobbi.

“Think so,” Bobbi agrees. “At least for now.”

“They’re getting away!” Jemma shouts, very showily pointing.

“You know what that means,” Raina smirks.

 

* * *

 

**“Satin Crusade”**

“I just have to ask,” Jemma says as they’re all wandering out of the house to the scenic location deemed appropriate to begin their fight for justice. “Did you write these songs _intending_ to do a video album about murderous beauty queens?”

“Happy coincidence,” Raina says. “I think satin and crusades go very well together.”

“Hey, who did you have in mind for driving?” Kara asks.

“Well, Melinda is going to be riding one of the horses,” Raina declares. “Beyond that, it doesn’t really matter.”

Melinda makes a face. “ _Why_?”

“Because it’s going to be there and we already established that you can ride,” Raina says.

“But _why_ is it going to be there?” presses Melinda.

“Because Lincoln has a line about a goddamn horse,” Raina says.

Melinda sighs and stops asking questions.

“I can drive, I guess,” Bobbi offers. “Anything to keep this one from getting behind the wheel.” She nudges Jemma, smirking.

“I’m not that bad,” Jemma protests.

“You’re not great,” Skye says gently, kissing her on the cheek. “Sorry.”

“I know,” Jemma mumbles.

“Kara could ride on the horse with Melinda,” Raina suggests innocently.

“We can’t go very fast if we do that,” Melinda says. “It won’t be safe.”

“Then we drive slow and speed it up in the editing room,” Raina shrugs.

“Only if, um, if you’re okay with it,” Kara says to Melinda.

Melinda shrugs. “I’m fine with it. You’ll have to hold on pretty tight.”

“Okay,” Kara says.

“How romantic,” Lorelei croons.

Melinda gives her a withering stare. “It’s for a video, Lorelei.”

“Of course,” Lorelei agrees. “I mean for your characters.”

“I think it’s nice,” Kara interjects, blushing. “For our characters.”

“I suppose,” says Melinda, smiling. “Well, let’s get started.”

The rest of them pile into the car and drive near Melinda’s horse, while Melinda and Kara ride along at a brisk walk. Kara would be genuinely shocked if Melinda couldn’t hear her heart beating, but she holds on tight as promised. When Jemma covertly texts Fitz for the boys to get their car going, they do, and the girls are seemingly in pursuit as if they’ve been all along.

“It’s like a real road trip video,” Raina says gleefully. “With murderous intent.”

At one point, Lincoln turns around and yells, “She’s got a goddamn horse!” Lance is concentrating on the road, but Fitz glances back, eyes wide and mouth falling open in surprise.

They drive for long enough down that stretch of road to have plenty of footage, then the crew piles into their van and the three cars drive toward the mansion they’ve rented for filming. Melinda and Kara end up squished in the backseat next to Raina. “Cozy?” Raina croons.

“Been worse,” says Melinda evenly.

Kara glances up (her head is resting on Melinda’s shoulder). “This is fun,” she assures Raina.

“Good,” Raina smirks.

 

* * *

 

**“Toxic Beauty”**

“Who wants to do the actual murdering?” Raina chirps once they’re unloaded and getting set up.

“I call Lincoln,” says Skye cheerfully. “Or Clarence. Whatever.”

“Makes sense,” Raina says. “Should the pursued get to murder their pursuers across the board?”

Fitz, standing nearby, overhears and looks horrified. “Do I get a say in this?” he squeaks.

“Relax, I’ll make it fast,” Lorelei rolls her eyes.

“That’s not relaxing at all,” mutters Fitz.

“Maybe, uh,” Kara stammers. “Maybe Melinda could help me?”

Melinda nods. “I’d be happy to,” she says. “If you want.”

“I think that would make sense,” Kara says. “If, ah. If Raina’s okay with it.”

“Hey, go for it, I say,” Raina grins. “The rest of us can be on backup duty.”

“That sounds safe,” Jemma declares, relieved.

“It doesn’t sound safe for _us,_ ” objects Lincoln.

Lance nods. “My guy might be a scumbag and a half, but I’m still sore from where that fake bullet she shot hit me.” He nods at Melinda. “Are we sure that one’s not in the _real_ mafia?”

“I’m not,” says Melinda, rolling her eyes.

“We’ll take it as gentle as you need us to,” Raina says sweetly. “Just, you know. You’re doing your own stunts. For what that’s worth it makes you a badass, technically.”

Lincoln snorts. “That’s really not comforting.”

The boys go inside the mansion, where a room has been designated for them to lounge in, leather chairs, ice packs, and fake cigars awaiting them. They do their best to look carefree, even though they’re all a little on edge.

“Should we all burst in on the count of three?” Jemma asks.

“Oh, honey,” murmurs Skye affectionately, grinning and squeezing Jemma’s hand.

“Well, I don’t know, that might be the best way to do it,” Jemma defends.

“Once the door is open, just rush in and start attacking,” Raina instructs.

Surprised, Skye says, “Oh, uh, okay, sure!”

For about the next twenty minutes, they film what could best be described as a killing montage. Raina, Bobbi, and Jemma do their best to stand guard and offer assistance if necessary while Skye goes to stab Lincoln in the neck, Lorelei chokes Fitz out with a necklace, and Kara and Melinda together stab Hunter with knives from their garters. Blood, of course, goes everywhere, but it’s all fake and if the camera got too close it would definitely not look real; there are struggles before the murders actually “take place,” of course, for added drama.

The best part, in Raina’s opinion, is something she didn’t even script: once the men are sprawled “lifeless” on the floor, Kara grabs Melinda for a triumphant kiss.

 

* * *

 

“Well,” says Coulson, a bit stunned. He and the other label heads (Victoria, Maria, and Anne) have just watched a rough cut of the videos. “That was…” He trails off, looking baffled.

“Really, it’s nothing that hasn’t been done in music videos before,” Anne says. “In terms of shock value. It’s an original little combination of… something.”

“Thank you,” Raina chirps. “It’s attention-grabbing. Weaponized femininity and all that.”

“I like it,” says Maria with a smirk. “It’ll get people talking.”

“You didn’t trash my house completely,” Victoria shrugs. This means she liked it.

“So we’re good to move on with editing?” Raina asks eagerly.

Coulson nods, a bit slowly. “Yes, I…I think that’ll be fine.” He pauses and then adds, “Is it just me or were Melinda and Kara...kissing pretty frequently?”


	9. I'll be one of the many saying, "you made us proud, you made us proud"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and several of her labelmates are up for music awards, so they make appearances at the awards show.

“Lads! Over here!”

The voice belongs to a grinning reporter, waving the boys over enthusiastically. Behind him are a couple of camera people. The usual red carpet setup.

“Hey!” Trip says, smiling and nodding. He’s always been the most personable of the bunch. “We’re here!”

“You certainly are,” says the reporter. “Everyone in good spirits tonight?” He makes sure to look the other three Lads, all of whom have had their publicized cranky moments, in the eye, but his smile doesn’t falter.

“Decent, yeah,” says Lance with a smirk. “They’re giving us free drinks, so I can’t complain too much.”

Lincoln shrugs and smiles. “Yeah, these are usually pretty fun. Hey, everybody!” He waves at the cameras.

“Should be good,” agrees Fitz, though his smile is a little shyer and he’s sticking close to Trip.

“Yeah, we’re all doing pretty well,” says Trip. “Super happy to be here!”

“So you’re up tonight for Best Single,” the reporter says. “Are you all happy with how ‘Promises’ has been doing?”

“Yeah, I mean, I think we’re always happy when our fans respond to our music, and clearly they’re enjoying the new song, so...yeah, it’s pretty great.” Lance has never been known to be articulate, but he flashes the cameras a grin anyway.

“This is your first outing as a quartet,” the reporter continues. “It feel any different?”

Trip and Lincoln exchange quick looks before Trip says, “In some ways, yeah, but I think we’re all just happy to still be able to work together and work on our music. Y’know, we’re all friends, we all like each other, it’s still working pretty well.”

“Have you -” Here the reporter pauses and waves over another party walking the red carpet… who just so happens to be Grant Ward, with a pretty but generic-looking blonde on his arm. “Ward! Have you spoken to your former bandmates since the event?”

Ward ambles over, face carefully benign and expressionless. “Can’t say that I have,” he says, glancing over the Lads. “How are we doing, fellas?”

“Fine, thanks,” says Lincoln, eyes narrowing only a little. “I hear your single’s doing pretty well?”

“Number one for the last three weeks,” says Ward, too casually. “I’d say that’s pretty well. Yours isn’t bad, either.” He manages to somehow make that not sound like a compliment.

“Have you listened to it?” the reporter asks the Lads. “‘Take Your Heart,’ which has, in fact, been topping the charts?” He seems a little gleeful, like he knows this is setting up for a fight.

“Yeah, I’ve heard it,” says Fitz, trying for casual but sounding a bit petulant. “‘’s not bad. The title is...” He trails off.

Lance nods. “Has a good beat and stuff.”

“Thanks,” says Ward, smiling without mirth. “Yours is good too. Stephanie was in the music video for mine, that’s premiering next week.” He tightens his grip on the blonde woman, who looks up at him adoringly.

“We’ll have to keep an eye out for that,” Trip replies smoothly.

“It’s a really special video,” Stephanie murmurs, like she’s been trained.

The Lads make a variety of faces before managing to adjust their expressions back to vaguely neutral. “I’m sure it is,” says Lincoln, as if he’s struggling to get the words out.

“Uh-oh,” the reporter says, looking honestly more delighted than worried.

“It’s nice that you’ve been working on stuff,” says Lance, or rather snarks it. “Keeping busy and all that.”

“Yes,” agrees Ward. “I’m hoping to be pretty successful on my own.”

Fitz coughs. “We’ll see.”

“And I think we’d better get inside, it’s gonna start soon,” Trip says, starting to herd the others toward the entrance. “Thanks, everybody!” he says, giving a last grin and wave to the cameras.

“Later, boys,” Ward says, steering Stephanie away as well. They don’t get very far before Stephanie meets eyes with Skye, who’s in the middle of taking pictures with the rest of the Angels.

“Is that the girl you told me about?” Stephanie asks Ward, sounding skeptical.

Ward nods. “Yeah, that’s the one. She’s...involved with someone else now. Or someones.”

Stephanie narrows her eyes at Skye. “Then she’s too slutty for you anyway, baby.”

Skye narrows her eyes, and Ward responds, “I still think it’s a publicity stunt anyway. People do like to gossip about that kind of thing.”

“What, fake-lesbian attention whores?” Stephanie asks. “Beats me why it matters. They’re all going to hell, anyway.”

At that, Skye curls her lip just slightly and hisses to Jemma, who’s close enough to hear her, “I’m gonna go over there and break her face just as soon as these pictures are done, I swear to god.”

“Skye,” Jemma says warningly, “I know she’s awful, but you’re renting that dress.”

“Don’t care,” mutters Skye. “I wanna break her stupid face for saying stupid shit.”

“Sadly, it’d be more trouble than it’s worth,” Bobbi sighs, leaning in. “Believe me, I’d enjoy watching that. But I don’t think it’ll be a great addition to the evening, overall.”

Skye sighs. “I know, but she still sucks and I kinda hate her.”

“Come on,” Jemma murmurs, “we’re being waved along. Let’s get inside.”

 

* * *

 

So it’s not like Kara’s never been to an awards show before, but this is… a grown-up awards show. It’s just as intimidating as everything else that’s been thrown at her lately, if not more so, considering she has to impress people without a script this time.

She must look anxious, too, because Melinda gives her a small but genuine smile and bumps her shoulder against Kara’s. “Don’t look so worried,” she teases. “You look great and you’re doing just fine.”

“Thank you,” Kara mumbles. “This just isn’t…”

“I know,” says Melinda with a snort. “It’s ridiculous. You suffer through it, it’s only a few hours of your life, and you hope some of the pictures come out nice.”

“And hope they don’t end up too edited or scribbled-on,” Kara adds, trying to smile.

“Pretty much,” agrees Melinda. Then she winks. “You really do look great.”

“Thank you,” Kara says again. “Uh, you, too, you look… yeah.”

Melinda chuckles. “Thanks. This dress isn’t my favorite, but ah well.”

“It looks nice on you, though,” Kara insists.

“It’s sweet of you to say so.”

Before Kara can say anything else, an interviewer suddenly asks, “Hi Kara, can you comment on your and Melinda’s relationship?”

“What?” Kara squeaks. “I mean, we’re… we toured, and…”

“It seem you’re pretty close lately, what with Raina’s music video and the tour earlier this year. Sure there’s nothing going on?” he asks slyly.

“Uh,” Kara says, feeling horribly embarrassed, “we _are_ close. That’s not really a secret?”

“Yes, but _how_ close? You two were kissing a lot in that video, does that happen a lot? We know Melinda May is bisexual but what about you, Kara?”

Frantically, Kara looks to Melinda for intervention.

Melinda’s face is a carefully constructed mask of indifference as she says, “Sorry, we have to get inside” and pulls Kara away toward the entrance.

“Thank you,” Kara squeaks. “I wasn’t expecting that, somehow.”

Melinda rolls her eyes. “They’re like sharks, they lunge at the slightest hint of drama.”

“It must be hard to be a paparazzi,” Kara says. “Having to act like a cartoon villain sneaking around looking for rumors.”

“Some of them aren’t really acting,” snarks Melinda. “Shall we find our seats? I assume they put us near each other.”

“That sounds good,” Kara agrees. “I mean, it’d… make sense.”

Sure enough, they’re at the same table and they sit down with plenty of time to survey their surroundings. Kara keeps fussing with her hair or her earrings, glancing around like she’s trying to make it normal, and Melinda discreetly reaches over, offering her hand if Kara wants it. Of course, Kara’s first reaction is to blink rapidly, which she does for what feels like five minutes before tentatively, she accepts the hand.

The awards show is pretty standard - long stretches of banter and a few skits and performances between the actual awards - and somehow, Kara finds her attention starting to wander. She manages smiles every time there’s a camera aimed at her, but her thoughts go elsewhere.

So when they call her name (for Best Breakout Music Video) it takes her a second to respond, until Melinda nudges her gently and says, “Hey, that’s you!”

“Oh!” Kara exclaims. Feeling like she’s watching herself from the outside, or something equally dramatic, she stumbles out of her chair and heads for the stage, trying not to look startled by the rounds of applause surrounding her.

When she gets onstage she wonders if, maybe, this was a little rigged, in that the presenters are none other than other former Disney babies (and, she knows, out and proud girlfriends) Peggy Carter and Angie Martinelli. They were already old guard by the time she got there, and they’ve been out of it for longer, but there is a kind of synchronicity to having them here. She just prays they won’t say anything about when she was a little kid.

“Uh, thanks,” she murmurs as she takes the stage.

“You deserve it, darling,” Peggy says, kissing the air near Kara’s cheeks before handing her the trophy.

“Drop us a line sometime,” murmurs Angie, winking at her. “Us ex-Disney kids gotta stick together.”

Kara nods, flushing. “I will,” she promises. The applause dies down and she turns to the microphone, laughing nervously. “Well, god, I don’t even know where to start,” she quips. It’s not really a joke, but some of the audience laughs along with her anyway. “I think what I really want to say is just… thank you. To my fans, to my creative team, to all the other artists on my label, really… anyone who’s ever believed in me. You know who you are.” She looks out into the general direction of her seat in the audience. “And a really special thanks to M - to my, my whole support system. I mean, that’s what I just said, but really, I can’t say it enough.” She hoists her trophy in the air with a sheepish smile before someone comes to steer her offstage.

It’s not too long before she makes her way back to her seat, feeling a little out of breath. “I didn’t embarrass myself, did I?” she whispers to Melinda, trying to sound lighthearted.

Melinda chuckles. “No, you were just fine. Acceptance speeches are always gonna be a little ridiculous. I don’t know if anyone’s really _good_ at them.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Kara says, chuckling.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” says Melinda a bit teasingly.

“Oh!” Kara exclaims. “Uh, well…” She shrugs, deciding it’s better not to pretend. “I mean it, okay?”

“You’re worth it. I’m glad I can help.” Melinda smiles at her.

“You do,” Kara murmurs.

There’s a few more awards handed out before the Pop Album of the Year category, which Melinda’s up for. It’s no real surprise when her name is announced, and she strides over to the stage with the practiced air of someone who’s done it a hundred times already. “Thanks to my parents, my label, my manager, my creative team, and my collaborators for helping me make the best album possible,” she says, giving the cameras a measured smile. “And thanks to my labelmates, who help inspire me.” She meets eyes with Kara for just a second before stepping back from the mic and exiting the stage.

 

* * *

 

“Congrats!” Skye squeals, throwing her arms around Kara for a second. She’s already had a couple drinks.

“Thank you!” Kara exclaims, laughing and letting herself be hugged. “I can’t believe it.”

“I mean, awards are kinda bullshit but only if you don’t win them,” giggles Skye, “so yay for you!”

“It’s kinda silly, but it feels good,” Kara agrees. “I feel like a big kid, finally, so that’s something.”

“And how about the boys?” Jemma laughs, raising her plastic champagne flute. “Good on you, I say.”

“Thanks very much,” says Fitz, tapping his against hers with a grin. “Did you see the look on Ward’s face when they announced it?”

“I was trying my hardest not to,” Jemma says solemnly.

“Oh, I saw it,” Bobbi chimes in. “That’s what he fucking gets for writing a song that’s coy but probably about rape.”

Lance barks a laugh. “He looked like we’d shot his dog or something.”

“Well, psychopaths do often feel more intensely about animals than humans,” Jemma quips, making a face like she thinks she just made a wonderful joke.

Skye grabs her hand and squeezes it, giggling. “But yeah, congrats, you guys!” she says, grinning at the rest of the Lads.

“Thanks,” says Lincoln, looking smug (the alcohol is probably helping).

“Very successful night,” Raina says with a coy smile, from the spot on the wall she’s made her own for the duration of the party. “Hand and Hill should be impressed.”

“Hey, congrats to you too, Melinda,” adds Trip. Melinda’s hanging out with the rest of them, but she’s been quiet as usual. “It’s a big deal.”

She smirks. “Thanks. The awards don’t mean as much to me, but it’s nice to get them.”

“I know!” Kara says eagerly, like she’s just had the best idea of the century. “Let’s move the party back to my place! I’ve got plenty of goodies, and we won’t have to worry about unwanted camera flashes or anything like that.”

“Thanks very much for the offer, darling, but I’ve got other plans,” says Lance, blatantly making eyes at Dottie Underwood across the room.

Kara’s eyebrow goes up. She knows enough about Dottie to know that’s a horrible idea, but he won’t listen, so she won’t bother trying to say anything. “Any other no-gos?” she asks.

“Ah, Trip and I were gonna head home early,” Fitz says. “Sorry.”

“Me too,” says Lincoln with a shrug. “Early morning plans.” Which probably means smoking blunts at home by himself, but everyone is too polite to call him out on it.

“So girls’ night!” Kara chirps. “Sound good?”

“Sounds precious,” Lorelei drawls, smirking.

 

* * *

 

“So make yourselves comfortable,” Kara singsongs, ushering the other girls into her apartment. “I’ll take drink orders once everyone’s ready.”

Skye flops across the easy chair with a sigh of contentment. “Can I just never move again?” she asks airily.

“Then you’d never get to come back to bed,” Jemma points out, positioning herself on an ottoman near said chair and leaning forward onto it. “And that would be a tragedy.”

“Hmm.” Skye drags out the noise. “Good point. Bobbi, come sit here with me.”

“Bossy, bossy,” Bobbi chides, but she comes over and wedges in beside Skye anyway.

Skye nestles against her. “You’re hot. You too, Jemma.”

“Gosh,” Jemma laughs. “Are we disgusting?”

“A little,” says Melinda, smirking. “But at least you’re happy together. That’s important.”

“Drinks!” Kara chirps. “I have wine and Smirnoff Ice and I think vodka that could get mixed with juice or something?”

“What flavors of Smirnoff?” Raina asks, settling on one end of the sofa.

“Uh,” Kara says, thinking, “passionfruit and mango and I think green apple?”

“Passionfruit,” Raina says.

“Green apple!” Jemma exclaims. “Please.”

“Do you do screwdrivers?” Bobbi asks, sounding probably more suggestive than she intends.

“I could,” Kara says gamely.

“I’ll just have some wine, thanks,” says Melinda.

“Me too,” Lorelei nods.

“Mango for me!” Skye chirps.

Kara giggles, scurrying off to the kitchen and softly murmuring each drink order to make sure they stick in her mind. Melinda gets up to follow her. “Hey,” she says. “Figured I’d tag along, see if you wanted help.”

Immediately Kara blushes. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Don’t really think they want their drinks all over my floor, y’know.”

“Probably not,” says Melinda with a laugh. “Where do you keep it?”

“Smirnoff’s in the fridge, so’s juice,” Kara says. “Cups in the cabinet next to the stove.” She herself is going for the wine rack on the other side of the small kitchen, grinning to herself for no exact reason. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” replies Melinda, pulling out the bottles and cups as requested. “Happy to help.”

Kara tucks hair behind her ear, then moves to grab the juice to make Bobbi’s screwdriver; the vodka, after all, lives in the cabinet near the wine rack. She ends up accidentally brushing Melinda’s side, though, which makes her stop and stare foolishly. “Uh…”

Melinda glances at her. “You okay, Kara?” she asks quietly.

“No, yeah,” Kara murmurs. “I just…” She meets Melinda’s eyes, suddenly overtaken with an impulse to just _kiss her_ , press their lips together and end this stupid dance they’ve been doing -

Which of course means that Bobbi takes this moment to shout, “We’re getting thirsty in here!”

“I’m fine,” Kara mumbles, hurrying back to the vodka.

“Okay,” says Melinda, not sounding at all convinced, and they work on mixing the drinks in silence.

Once they return to the other room, Skye yelps, “ _Finally!_ We’ve been waiting _forever!_ ”

“You’re a baby,” Raina says cheerfully. “You wouldn’t know forever if it bit you on the ass.”

“Well, _excuuuuuse_ me,” sing-songs Skye, sticking her tongue out and then grinning.

“You sure you should have another drink?” says Melinda dryly.

“Yeah, duh!”

“It really only has about a 4.5% alcohol content,” Jemma chimes in, giggling. “I think we’ll be fine.”

“And no paps to catch us getting sloppy drunk, like Kara said,” Bobbi adds.

Skye snorts. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Nor for me,” says Melinda with a smirk and an eyeroll, “but it’s nice not to have to worry about it.”

Kara beams, pleased with her idea. “It’s been such a good night,” she says, “best we keep it that way, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Raina agrees, smiling in that temptress way she has even though she’s not tempting anyone. “This is nice. Like a girlie sleepover.”

Lorelei snorts. “After a fashion,” she agrees, sipping her wine.

“God, did any of you run into Ward?” Skye asks. “He’s got a new piece of arm candy and she’s just as much of an asshole as him.”

“I avoided it, thank goodness,” Lorelei sighs. “Isn’t she some racist evangelist’s spawn?”

“Something like that,” Bobbi nods. “Definitely said we were going to hell, which doesn’t offend me so much as amuse me, but still. I’m sure she’d try to save us or shoot us if she had a chance.”

“Basic,” Raina declares, rolling her eyes.

“It’s not surprising they’ve fallen in together,” says Melinda. “At least he’s stopped targeting all of you.” She’s looking at Kara as she says it.

Kara notices this, of course, and ducks her head sheepishly. “Small mercies, I guess,” she says.

Skye giggles. “Nice speech, by the way, Kara,” she says, winking.

“Oh!” Kara exclaims. “Yeah, uh. Thank you. I… yeah.”

“Support systems are impooooortant,” singsongs Skye, drawing it out.

“Don’t make fun,” Kara mumbles, blushing. “I honestly didn’t think I had a chance of winning, so I didn’t prepare that speech or anything.”

“You did just fine,” says Melinda, giving Skye a warning look.

Skye grins. “Yeah, you did, Kar. Promise.”

“Like you’ve never given a rambly speech,” Jemma teases, tapping Skye’s shoulder.

Skye takes a long sip of her drink. “Yeah, yeah,” she says good-naturedly, leaning towards Jemma.

“And really, all of us have,” Jemma continues, waving her drink around. “Well. Not Melinda, she’s classier than that - not that we’re not all classy! - but still.”

Melinda snorts. “High praise. I’m really not so different from the rest of you, you know.”

“Well, but you… you’re so much more… I mean, well,” Kara stammers. “You’re kind of a legend, you know.”

“In some ways,” Melinda says with a shrug. “You’ve seen me being very human, though.” It’s said a bit more quietly, as if she means it just for Kara.

“Yeah, but that just means you’re a person _and_ a legend,” Kara says. “It’s really… special.”

Melinda smiles. “You’re really special.”

Kara’s eyes go wide. Everyone else is staring at them, but nobody wants to say anything to ruin the moment.

Of course, that means Raina is the one to ruin the moment. “So I wasn’t just imagining that a good half of the sketches were sexist, right?”

Melinda blinks and shakes her head a little, like she’s waking up, then she sighs. “Not that it was surprising. With those events, it’s always an endurance test.”

 

* * *

 

At some point in the evening, insisting they all three be able to cuddle without squishing, the Angels took the sofa over, and now they’re passed out on it and on each other. Kara pretty much expected that to happen, so she’s mostly amused. After some silent communication (a lot of eyebrows) Raina and Lorelei announce they’re going to head home at nearly the same time, which could mean they’re going home together and hey, Kara’s not judging.

But before they go, Lorelei waves Kara into the kitchen, saying, “I need to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Kara asks as soon as they’re alone.

“You _have_ fucked women before, right?” Lorelei murmurs.

“Lorelei!” Kara yelps. “Of course I -” Blushing, she drops her voice. “Of _course_ I’ve slept with women. What’s it to you?”

“Oh, that’s cute,” Lorelei coos. “I was just wondering if you needed the procedural, you know. What goes where when.”

“No!” Kara exclaims. “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.”

“You do want to fuck her, right?”

“Yes,” Kara hisses, “but that’s none of your business.”

“Could’ve fooled me, with how you were both going on at each other,” Lorelei shrugs.

“Can you please just - go?” Kara begs. “I’m trying really hard to make this not get weird.”

Lorelei laughs, she actually honest-to-god laughs. “You’re cute,” she says, heading for the door. “Good luck.” And with that Lorelei and Raina exit, leaving Kara standing there in the kitchen staring blankly at Melinda, who’s come around probably just to see her be embarrassed.

But she’s smiling, and not in a way that seems like she’s laughing at Kara. “What did Lorelei want?” she asks. “She’s certainly an...interesting person.”

“Nothing,” Kara says immediately. “She was just teasing me.”

Melinda snorts. “She does that. Not too harshly, I hope?”

“No,” Kara agrees. “Just… yeah. It’s okay.” She pauses. “You wanna maybe watch a movie in my room? So we don’t wake the others. Or you could, I mean you don’t have to stay, but…”

“That sounds nice,” Melinda says. “Lead the way.”


	10. you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye and I got that red lip classic thing that you like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda and Kara watch a movie. Alone. In her bedroom.

“So,” Kara says as they enter her room. “My movies are… well. I have a few on iTunes and I can get Netflix and that’s kind of it in here, actually. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” says Melinda. “Anything you suggest?”

“I’m pretty much good with a lot of things,” Kara shrugs. “I mean. I’m pretty sure I’ll be good with anything you pick. I trust your taste.”

Melinda smirks. “Pull up iTunes first, that’ll go quicker.”

“Probably, yeah,” Kara laughs. She opens her laptop and starts clicking around, during which she realizes this is going to necessitate Melinda sitting on her bed and oh god. “It’s not that much, but, there it is.”

Melinda scrolls through it, seeming amused at some of the movies listed. “I’ve never seen this one, actually,” she says, hovering on _Imagine Me and You_. “Always meant to, just never got around to it.”

“Oh!” Kara exclaims, feeling her heart start to flutter. “It’s really good. I mean, obviously I like it because it’s there… I mean, I don’t like everything on that list in the same way, _Breaking Dawn Part 2_ is ridiculous and bad but that’s kind of the point, but mostly… yeah. It’s a good movie.”

“So I’ve heard,” says Melinda, clicking on it and then going to sit on Kara’s bed. “This good? Need me to move over or anything?”

“No, uh, you’re good,” Kara replies, very hesitantly going to sit next to Melinda.

For a while, they’re just watching the movie, reacting appropriately but not saying much of anything, and okay, maybe it’s just that Kara has definitely seen this more than a few times but she’s getting distracted by every single thing. Melinda is sitting _right there_ , all… warm and nice-smelling and clearly enjoying herself, and it’s a little overwhelming. Then Melinda lets her hand drop to rest on Kara’s leg, as if it was a habit, and leaves it there for a moment before saying “Oh, sorry, is that okay?” and moving her hand slightly so it’s not quite touching Kara.

“No, it’s, it’s okay,” Kara says quickly. “It is.”

“Okay.” Melinda puts her hand back, and turns back to the movie. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“You’re not,” Kara promises. “I’m not uncomfortable.” She can’t exactly look Melinda in the eye, but that’s not because she’s uncomfortable.

“You can lean on me, if you want,” adds Melinda.

Kara makes a very soft noise in the back of her throat. “Okay,” she says, resting her head on Melinda’s shoulder.

Melinda shifts a little so that she can put her arm around Kara. “Still okay?”

“Yeah,” Kara says. “That’s… it’s really nice.”

“Good.” Melinda goes back to paying attention to the movie.

Once the movie goes to credits, Melinda starts to get up as if she’s going to turn it off, but - and maybe it’s just the alcohol from earlier - Kara whimpers, “Wait.”

Melinda glances at her, expression a bit worried. “What? Something wrong?”

“No,” Kara says. “I - just. It’s dumb but could you not get up just yet?”

“Okay,” says Melinda, settling back against her. “Glad you’re enjoying this,” she adds wryly. “I don’t usually snuggle.”

“Thank you, then,” Kara mumbles. “I’m enjoying this a lot. And -” she takes a deep breath and the words come out practically rushed into one - “I was kind of wondering if maybe you’d consider it being more than a one-time thing.”

“The snuggling, you mean?” Melinda asks.

“The snuggling,” Kara repeats. “The closeness. The being in my bedroom.” She’s probably making a fool of herself. She knows this. She just can’t help it.

Melinda chuckles. “You’re awfully cute.”

“Really?” Kara asks, all naked enthusiasm.

“Yes.” Melinda’s quiet a moment, then she asks, “Kara, can I kiss you?”

This time Kara flat-out squeaks. “Yes!”

That makes Melinda laugh again, and she says “Okay” and leans forward.

“Thank you,” Kara murmurs reverently.

Melinda’s gentle as she kisses her, not wanting to push her into anything, and then she pulls back and asks “Good?” with a small smile.

“Good,” Kara nods. “I’ve been wanting to do that for months.”

“Me too, honestly,” replies Melinda. “But I didn’t want to push you into anything you didn’t want.”

“Why wouldn’t I want it?” Kara asks, laughing. “You’re incredible.”

“And you’re sweet. I just didn’t want you to feel like I was taking advantage of you.”

“Why would I?” Kara echoes.

Melinda shrugs. “I’m older, I’ve been singing for years...I’ve been around male singers who come onto the women they work with aggressively and I didn’t want to be like that.”

“You could never be,” Kara swears. “You’re just… you’re too good for that.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” says Melinda with a smirk. “Do you want to kiss more?”

“Yeah,” Kara says. “I mean, if you want to?”

“I do,” says Melinda. She pulls Kara a little closer and kisses her again.

“God,” Kara whimpers.

Melinda smiles against her lips. “You’re adorable.”

“Why?” Kara asks before she can stop herself.

“Just, the way you react to things, to my touching you. It’s cute.”

Kara blushes. “Thanks,” she manages to say. “You’re wonderful.”

“You too,” says Melinda fondly. She kisses her again, licking a little at Kara’s lips, but not too insistently.

“Oh,” Kara murmurs, giving a happy sigh, “I feel like I’m dreaming.”

“Sure that isn’t the alcohol?” Melinda teases.

“It’s not,” Kara assures. “It’s just… you’re so beautiful, and so mature, and I never thought for a second you’d actually want _me_.”

“I do, I promise,” says Melinda. “You’re beautiful too, and clever, and very talented and sweet.”

Shyly, Kara glances down and then up again. “You really think so?”

“Yes.” Melinda reaches over to run a hand through her hair. “You’re great, Kara. Lots of people think so and especially me.”

“And it’s okay that I’m all… innocent in the ways of the world?” Kara jokes.

Melinda snorts. “You’ll need to be more specific, but yes, it is.”

“I mean like, I’ve honestly never had a real relationship, but especially with a woman,” Kara says. “I’m not totally out of the loop, but… yeah.”

“That’s okay. We can go as slowly as you want. We don’t even have to do more than kiss tonight.”

“No,” Kara exclaims, “I mean, I want to. If you want to. But I… still have some navigating to do, especially out there.”

Melinda smiles. “I’ll help you, promise. We can keep it on the downlow for as long as you want to. It won’t be that hard, I don’t think,” she adds with a roll of her eyes. “The press will move on to the next big thing after a week tops, and that guy who was pestering you earlier about us won’t even remember it by Friday.”

“I… I don’t feel like I need to hide it,” Kara murmurs. “I just don’t really know what to do with… does that make sense?”

Nodding, Melinda replies, “It does. There’s a difference between hiding your relationship and wanting privacy, especially in the early stages of a new one. No point in having the public all over us when we’re not even sure what we’re doing yet.”

“That makes sense,” Kara agrees. “I think I’m just worried about messing up.”

“Understandable. It’s not like I’m _not_ worried either. New things are always a little concerning, even if they’re good things.” Melinda kisses her cheek. “We’ll figure it out together.”

“Yeah,” Kara says. “I’m just… wow.”

Melinda smirks. “So what else would you like to do tonight? I won’t push you for anything.”

“More,” Kara says immediately. “I don’t care how, I just want more.”

“Okay,” says Melinda. “But I think we should talk a little first, since you said you don’t have a lot of experience. What exactly have you done before?”

“Honestly, more with guys than I really wanted to,” Kara sighs. “I think I thought I could get into it with practice. I really didn’t. I’ve made out with a few girls, here and there, but it never really mattered. And one time Rebecca Stevens and I rubbed each other out at a pool party. Not in the pool, that would be gross, but while other people were probably in the pool and we were inside.”

“Aw.” Melinda smiles. “I’m sorry you had to deal with so many subpar partners.”

“I don’t even know if they were subpar,” Kara admits. “I just… wasn’t into them like I thought I was supposed to be. But you heard Jack at his party, I always had some date or another on my arm. That was just the way it was, I thought.”

Nodding, Melinda makes a sympathetic noise. “I’ve had very good relationships with men before, but it’s never good if you’re making yourself go through the motions because you think that’s what you’re supposed to do.”

“I kind of doubt there’s a man out there I’d actually want to be in a relationship with,” Kara says.

That makes Melinda snort. “Understandable,” she says. “A lot of them are...difficult. To put it lightly.”

“I’m glad that’s not just me,” Kara laughs. “I wondered for a really long time.”

“No. And sometimes you’re attracted to some men, but not in the way that you can have a relationship with them. It’s complicated.” Melinda chuckles. “Anyway. You said you wanted more tonight.”

“I do,” Kara agrees. “Could we get out of these dumb dresses?”

“That sounds nice. Do you need help with yours? Mine’s got a zipper on the back.”

Kara chuckles. “Mine too. I’ll get yours first?”

“Alright.” Melinda turns around obligingly.

Gently, Kara brushes Melinda’s hair out of the way and reaches for the zipper. “You have such gorgeous skin,” she murmurs.

“Thank you,” hums Melinda, rolling her shoulders. “You too.” For a minute, Kara seems to be content just stroking down Melinda’s back and pressing little hesitant kisses, so Melinda asks, “Should I undress you too?”

“Oh!” Kara exclaims. “Yeah. Would you?”

“Of course.” Melinda turns to undo Kara’s zipper. “You’re beautiful.”

Kara sighs happily. “Thank you,” she says. “It means a lot that you think so.”

“I really do,” says Melinda, pressing a kiss to Kara’s shoulder. “Just a second.” She stands up and slips off her dress, kicking it aside.

Kara giggles and pulls hers over her head, tossing it on top of Melinda’s. “What now?”

“Well, would you like me to leave the bra and underwear on?” asks Melinda, somewhat playfully.

“N-no,” Kara stammers. “Definitely not. If that’s okay.”

“Very much,” says Melinda, grinning as she reaches back to undo hers. Then she tosses it aside and asks, “Want me to get yours?”

“Yeah,” Kara says, sounding a little terrified but hopefully in a good way (because that’s how she feels right now).

Melinda scoots over and reaches around to unhook Kara’s bra, adding, “It’s cute, by the way” while nodding at the bra itself. (It’s pink.)

“Oh, thank you,” Kara says with a surprised giggle. “I’m, I’m glad.”

Melinda sits back and just looks Kara over for a minute, nodding. “Beautiful,” she says again. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Kara nods. “I’m just kind of taking it in. Here we are. Naked in, on, my bed.”

“Well, not quite _naked,_ ” Melinda says. “Let me just…” She slides off her boyshorts.

Kara takes the hint and wiggles out of her panties too. “Now naked.”

“Yes.” Melinda moves closer to her. “More kissing?”

“More kissing,” Kara repeats. This time she initiates, leaning forward to press her lips to Melinda’s hungrily.

Melinda hums, putting her arm around Kara and slipping her tongue into her mouth.

“Could we lie down?” Kara asks softly, after they’ve been kissing for a few minutes.

Melinda nods. “How would you like it?”

“Like lying down?” Kara echoes. “Uh, in a… close way?”

“Oh, sorry, I meant, side by side, me on top, you on top?”

“Oh,” Kara says, laughing nervously. “Side by side for now?”

“Okay.” Melinda arranges herself on the bed, gesturing for Kara to do the same.

Hurriedly, Kara scrambles to lay down facing Melinda, and before she thinks better of it she makes to twine their legs together. “Yeah,” she says, not sure what she’s agreeing with.

“That’s nice,” says Melinda, reaching to run her fingers down Kara’s cheek. “You’re nice.”

“Thank you,” Kara hums. “You deserve nice.”

“You’re very sweet. You deserve that too.” Melinda reaches to touch Kara’s back. “What would you like now?”

“More kissing?” Kara suggests.

Melinda obliges, pulling her close and sighing into her mouth.

“That’s so good,” Kara breathes.

“Good,” murmurs Melinda. She kisses Kara a little more firmly.

“More of that,” Kara whispers. “I want you to… more of that.”

Melinda smiles and obliges, letting her other hand wander to Kara’s breast. “This okay?” she pauses to ask.

“Yeah,” Kara says. “Touch me really tender and thorough, okay? That… yeah.” She blushes, not sure if that was too specific or something.

“Of course.” Melinda kisses her again, stroking Kara’s breast and gently rubbing over and around her nipple.

“Oh,” Kara whimpers. “Yeah. That’s - that feels nice.”

“Would you like my mouth on them?”

Kara’s eyes go wide. “Yes please,” she squeaks.

Melinda smiles. “Adorable,” she says before carefully maneuvering herself down to Kara’s breasts, kissing all over them gently before sucking one into her mouth.

“Nobody’s ever,” Kara murmurs, immediately regretting it but not having any way to take it back.

Melinda takes her sweet time before she lets it go and answers, “That’s a shame. They’re lovely.” Then she moves to her other breast.

“Thank you,” Kara says reverently. “You’re… that’s…”

Humming acknowledgement, Melinda eventually lets go and kisses her lips again. “Still good? I assume you don’t mind that I’m taking the lead here.”

“No, I, I don’t,” Kara agrees, laughing breathlessly. “It’s nice. Makes me feel special.”

“You should,” says Melinda. “I think you’re special.”

“I believe it when you say it,” Kara says, draping an arm over Melinda’s waist.

“I mean it.” Melinda starts running a hand down Kara’s back. “What would you like now?”

“Would you kiss me… lower?” Kara asks, cursing how childish it sounds.

Chuckling, Melinda nods. “I can do that.” She starts ghosting her lips over Kara’s neck and down over her breasts again, going slower once she reaches her stomach. “I’d like to take my time exploring you,” she says.

“Oh,” Kara exclaims. “Would you?”

“Mhm.” Melinda presses kisses over her stomach. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Kara sighs. “You feel so wonderful.”

Melinda smiles. “You too, Kara.” She keeps kissing down Kara’s body until, finally, she nuzzles at her thighs. “Still good?”

Kara nods frantically. “Still good,” she agrees. “Should I… back?”

“Turn over, you mean?” asks Melinda, smirking. “It’d certainly be easier on me. This is what you wanted, right?”

“Yeah,” Kara says, trying to move onto her back as gracefully as possible. “Yeah, this is exactly what I want.”

“Just checking.” Melinda lets her arrange herself, then moves to kiss up her thighs again. She holds onto Kara’s hips gently.

“Yeah,” Kara repeats, rolling her hips like it’s a test. “God. Thank you.”

Melinda laughs. “Stay still, now,” she teases.

“Yes, ma’am,” Kara murmurs, giggling.

Raising an eyebrow, Melinda replies, “Not sure I’ve ever been called that in bed.”

“Was it weird?” Kara exclaims. “I don’t want to be weird.”

“No, just different. It’s cute.” Melinda licks at Kara’s center a few times, as if testing.

“Okay,” Kara says, sounding doubtful. “I really just… I want this to be nice.”

“It is,” says Melinda reassuringly. “It’s very nice. I want it to be nice for you too. Will you let me take care of you?”

“Yeah,” Kara whispers. “Please?”

Melinda nods and laps at her, listening for indications of what Kara likes and doesn’t like. She keeps holding onto her hips, her thumbs idly stroking Kara’s skin.

“God, yeah,” Kara pants. “That’s so… you’re so…”

Melinda chuckles and keeps it up, circling her tongue around Kara’s clit.

“Fuck!” Kara moans, her eyes squeezing shut. “ _Melinda!_ ”

Pausing, Melinda asks playfully, “What about ma’am? I could get used to that.”

Kara means to laugh, she really does, but what comes out is honestly closer to a less-coherent moan. “Whatever you want, ma’am,” she manages to say.

“Thank you,” says Melinda, going back to playing with Kara’s clit.

“God, ma’am,” Kara stammers. “That’s so amazing.”

Melinda moans a bit, switching to suck at her instead. She tightens her grip on Kara’s hips just a little.

“More,” Kara exclaims, trying to keep mostly still.

Melinda laughs a bit, which Kara can feel, and keeps mouthing at her, switching to firm strokes of her tongue after a while. After a long few minutes of that, Kara comes, shrieking as she falls back against the bed. Melinda gently licks her clean and then smiles. “Feeling good?”

“So good,” Kara murmurs. “That was… wow.”

“I’m glad,” Melinda says, sliding up to kiss her on the lips. “Though I hope nobody out in the living room woke up.”

“They’d probably just cheer me on and go back to sleep,” Kara giggles.

“True. You’re lovely.”

“I like that you’re not even surprised by that,” Kara teases.

Melinda snorts. “I’m betting they’ve known you had a crush on me for months, right?”

“Yeah,” Kara admits. “Skye has definitely pep-talked me through more than one occasion.”

“Really?” Melinda looks as if she’s about to ask for details, then hesitates. “Are you okay with me on top of you or should I roll off?”

“Either,” Kara shrugs. “You’re comfy.”

Melinda settles, kissing her again. “Thanks. You’re sweet.”

Kara’s pretty sure she hasn’t actually stopped blushing for the last half an hour, but she doesn’t mind. “To answer your earlier question, yeah, really.”

“What kinds of things did she pep talk you through? I’m curious now.”

“Remember when you fell asleep on me at your house?” Kara asks.

“Yes. I felt a little bad about it, but I really was tired, and you were comfortable.” Melinda smiles. “I hope it wasn’t a problem.”

“No, it was awesome,” Kara says quickly. “I just wasn’t sure what to do. She convinced me to pet your hair, which I hope wasn’t weird.”

“Well, I was too asleep to notice,” teases Melinda. “It wouldn’t have bothered me though. That feels nice.”

“Yeah?” Kara asks, reaching up to do exactly that.

Melinda hums and closes her eyes. “Just like that.”

“I can keep doing that,” Kara agrees. “Your hair’s nice.”

“Thank you. They have me style and shampoo it to within an inch of its life,” says Melinda with a snort. “I’m glad it’s still nice for regular people to touch.”

“It is,” Kara promises. “I bet you haven’t dyed it as many times as I’ve dyed mine.”

“No, that’s the one thing they don’t want me to do. Your hair is nice, though.” Melinda runs her fingers through Kara’s hair.

“Thanks,” Kara says with a self-conscious smile. “It’s been about every shade of dark brown-to-black that it could be, but I like it.”

“Well, that’s one way to deal with it.” Melinda chuckles. “Any other pep talk stories? You don’t have to tell them, I just find them cute.”

“Oh, you remember after that godawful photo leaked?” Kara exclaims.

“God, yes. I’m glad that blew over without too much trouble, but I felt horrible for you being mixed up in that.”

“There was some… talking that over,” Kara says sheepishly.

Melinda makes a sympathetic noise. “Well, for what it’s worth I liked being there with you.”

“Thanks,” Kara murmurs. “I liked it a lot too, except for the creeper photo part.”

“Yeah. I can’t promise that won’t happen after we go public. Unfortunately people are always out to make a buck, which sometimes means crossing lines.”

“It’s, is it weird to say it’s going to be a tiny bit easier to bear since we’re actually…?”

“No, it makes sense.” Melinda runs her finger over Kara’s collarbone. “I think that’s true in a lot of cases where two celebrities date each other. You both know how it goes, so it’s not a culture shock or anything.”

“Right, yeah,” Kara says. “And I don’t feel like I got caught pretending.”

Nodding, Melinda replies, “Yes. I’ll understand if you want to lie low for a while, though.”

“I mean, what happens if we don’t?” Kara asks softly.

“Nothing bad. We get followed around more, probably. You’ll have to let me know if you want us to not be affectionate in public.”

“Are you big on the PDA?” Kara teases. “I never would have guessed.”

“No,” says Melinda, smirking, “but hand-holding is nice.”

“Hand-holding sounds good, yeah,” Kara agrees.

“What about you? What’s your PDA limit?”

Kara shrugs, suddenly shy. “Like I kind of said, I don’t have that much hands-on experience,” she murmurs. “I’m guessing my limit with you is going to be a lot different than my limit with whatever B-list boy candy they set me up with in a given week.”

Melinda snorts. “Hopefully. We’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah,” Kara hums. “Hey, do you want…?” An orgasm, but she can’t bring herself to say it so bluntly.

“Oh. Yes, we were in the middle of something.” Melinda chuckles. “What are you comfortable doing?”

“I mean, I’d be up for anything, if you were patient with me,” Kara says softly. “And I know you’ll be patient with me.”

“Of course,” said Melinda, running her finger over Kara’s cheek. “Do you think you’d be up for trying oral? I can tell you what to do.”

Kara nods quickly. “I could try,” she assures.

“If not, we can switch to something else. It can be tricky.” Melinda tips herself over so she’s lying next to Kara. “I’m guessing you’d rather wait awhile before I sit on your face,” she says playfully.

Kara’s sure she looks like a cartoon when she says, “Probably, yeah.”

“That’s optional,” replies Melinda. “Nothing you don’t feel comfortable with.”

“Not tonight,” Kara says, “but we could work up to it.”

“No, not tonight,” Melinda agrees, “you’re brand new at this. This is just 101. Anyway, first you should probably get on top of me like I was on you.”

“Okay,” Kara says, carefully rolling over onto Melinda. “Good?”

“Mhm.” Melinda settles in beneath her. “Now, I like it when people kiss me all over, like how I was doing with you.”

“Kinda gentle, or do you want it a little, y’know, more intense?” Kara asks.

“A mix, I think. Whatever you’d like.”

“Okay,” Kara hums. “I’m… gonna play it by ear, maybe.” She nuzzles a spot on Melinda’s collarbone, then nips, timidly but definitely still nipping.

Melinda hums acknowledgement. “You can go a little harder,” she teases. “I’m not made of glass.”

“I’m just getting started,” Kara promises, using that same playful tone. She kisses across Melinda’s throat, getting rougher as she goes and listening very carefully for reactions.

Melinda sighs loudest at the roughest kisses, murmuring, “That’s good.”

“Yeah?” Kara asks, worrying a spot on the side of Melinda’s neck.

“Oh! Yeah,” Melinda says, nodding. “Wouldn’t say no to more like that.”

“Even if you’re gonna have to hide it with cover-up tomorrow?” Kara jokes.

“Eh, I’m not planning on going anywhere tomorrow. Go ahead.”

Kara laughs against Melinda’s skin and starts to repeat that action, moving down Melinda’s body. “Do you like it here, too?” she asks, nuzzling Melinda’s breasts.

“Yeah,” breathes Melinda. “That’d be good.”

“Good,” Kara echoes, sucking a nipple into her mouth.

Melinda moans and arches her back, gasping, “Yeah, that’s…”

“Good?” Kara teases, glancing up before very gently biting down.

“Yes,” whimpers Melinda.

“That’s pretty,” Kara murmurs, going to repeat the process on the other side and gently brushing Melinda’s hair back as she does.

“Thanks,” says Melinda, the end of the word turning into a hiss when she feels Kara’s teeth. “You’re getting the idea,” she says playfully, though she sounds a bit out of breath.

“Good,” Kara says. “I want this to be nice.” She sucks a bit harder on Melinda’s breast, biting in a circle around her nipple.

Melinda moans again. “You’re doing a good job so far,” she says, grinning.

“Yeah?” Kara asks softly, moving to press kisses to Melinda’s cleavage.

“Yeah,” agrees Melinda. “Keep going.”

Tentatively, Kara starts to slink down Melinda’s body, kissing all down her ribs and stomach and hips. “Now?”

“Now lick me, if you want. Feel free to explore a little.”

Kara nods and runs her tongue down Melinda’s folds, almost inquisitively. “Mm, is it too porny to say you’re delicious?”

Melinda laughs. “Not if you’re being honest. Thank you, it’s sweet of you to say.”

“I am,” Kara says. “You are. Everywhere, but - I think women just taste better.”

“That makes sense,” agrees Melinda. “You tasted good too.”

“Thank you,” Kara giggles, nosing against Melinda. “I can’t exactly say I try, but still.”

Melinda laughs. “Cute. But c’mon now,” she says, nudging Kara with her thigh gently. “You were doing something.”

Kara flushes. “Yeah,” she whispers, starting to lick more attentively, listening for moans.

Melinda obliges when her tongue hits a good spot, starting to rock her hips gently toward Kara. “Now my clit,” she says, “touch that.”

“Okay,” Kara murmurs, and she circles the spot with her tongue, cautious at first.

“Uh-huh,” gasps Melinda, “yeah, like that, good, a little harder.”

Kara hums in response, licking more firmly.

Melinda sighs, reaching down to stroke Kara’s hair. “Good girl,” she murmurs. “Just like that.”

Kara’s shoulders roll. She wasn’t expecting that, exactly, but she definitely doesn’t mind how it hits her. For a minute or two, she just focuses on doing exactly what seemed to earn her that positive reaction.

Melinda’s hips move a little faster and she gasps, “Now try sucking on it.”

Kara nods and wraps her lips around Melinda’s clit, feeling desperate for more of those little noises.

After a couple more minutes, and quite abruptly, Melinda yelps and shudders through her climax. “Damn,” she murmurs as she calms down. “Nice job.”

“Thank you,” Kara says, feeling possibly the most pleased she’s ever felt in her life. “I’m glad.”

Melinda pets her hair again. “How are you feeling?”

“So happy,” Kara promises.

“Good,” says Melinda, smiling. “Me too. Thank you.”

“Thank _you_ ,” Kara echoes. “It’s kind of an honor. Really an honor.”

“It’s an honor for me too. You’re lovely.”

“Do you wanna get under the covers?” Kara asks suddenly.

“Sure. That sounds nice. You sleepy?” Melinda’s starting to sound like she is.

Kara shrugs halfheartedly. “Sorta,” she admits. “And I sorta just want to snuggle.”

“That sounds nice too,” says Melinda, sitting up and getting off the bed so Kara can pull back the covers.

“I don’t know how I feel about PDA yet, really, but I pretty much know I’m a snuggler,” Kara explains, giggling.

Melinda smiles. “That sounds nice. I only like it with certain people but I think you’re one of them.”

Kara beams. “Thank you,” she says. “I’m flattered.”

 

* * *

 

****_“GAL PALS” SPOTTED  
Melinda May and Kara Lynn seen canoodling at the beach_   
_Judging from these photos, these two are getting pretty close… Melinda and Kara spent a gorgeous Saturday afternoon together at Venice Beach, sunbathing and doing a bit of swimming together. We’re pretty sure there was at least one liplock in there, too. After their acceptance speeches at the Grammys and that adorable video of their super romantic duet, we can’t say that we’re all that surprised._

**Melinda May** @melindamay  
It’s true. I love her. @KaraLynn

 **Kara Lynn** @KaraLynn  
.@melindamay I love you too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's been reading along with this, and to everyone who took a chance on a crackship and left kudos or feedback. We hope you've enjoyed yourselves as much as we have.
> 
> Also, we feel like everyone could use some uncomplicated ladyfluff right now. If you've been feeling down lately, we hope this happy ending helps a little.


End file.
